


Parasomnia

by DisgruntledMinion



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Humor, Death References, Implied or Off-stage Rape/Non-con, M/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-17
Updated: 2012-09-08
Packaged: 2017-11-07 22:28:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 93,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/436132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisgruntledMinion/pseuds/DisgruntledMinion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sleep; the natural periodic suspension of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored and for humans, regular sleep is essential for survival. However, for Itachi, the simple act of falling asleep can turn deadly. AU ItaXNaru</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sleepwalker

' _The small room that had once been so clean was now a disaster, with books falling off the shelves and lamps knocked to the ground. The pristine cream walls that his mother had taken so much pride into painting were now splattered; mockingly, in her own blood. Crimson liquid pooled from her body, further staining the faux fur rug, while his father's body was slumped across the oak desk, blood spilling onto the computers keyboard; a butcher's knife shoved deep into his chest._

_A trail of blood drops followed him down the hallway as he made his way through the otherwise spotless house. It was still nighttime and the moon was high in the midnight sky, casting a faint light through the windows as he made his way to the last occupied bedroom. With a quiet turn of the knob, he pushed the door open and the moonlight illuminated the pale face of the rooms' occupant. His feet made no noise as they padded across the carpeted floor and finally came to a rest beside the bed._

_Lifeless eyes gazed down at the sleeping teenager and his grip tightened on the knife handle. The young teen looked so vulnerable; it would only take a single motion to simply end his life. His arm rose up over his head to deliver the final blow when the teens eyelids fluttered open. Black eyes gazed at him, unfocused at first but as they adjusted to the dark, they widened in fear._

" _Itachi?"_

_There was a small nagging in the back of his mind that told him to stop and put the knife down, but he could not bring himself to focus on it; his mind seemed too fuzzy at the moment. He heard his name being called again, this time in a more urgent, terrified way. His own eyes focused clearly on his younger brother in front of him and his arm started to descend._

" _Itachi."_

" _ITACHI!"_

_A loud piercing wail shattered the fogginess in his mind and his eyes widened at the scene played out in front of him. His body started to shake and he dropped to his knees, vaguely hearing his name being called repeatedly.'_

There was a sharp, stinging sensation on his cheek and Itachi jolted awake. He was breathing heavily and he could feel the hot, prickling feeling behind his eyes that indicated he was close to crying. He blinked his eyes a couple of times to clear them away and turned to the left, ignoring the warmth that spread across his cheek

"Did you just slap me?"

The driver chuckled, "It woke you up didn't it?"

Itachi glared at his friend, "A simple yelling of the name would have worked."

Kisame shrugged, "I tried that; a couple times actually. It was the only thing I could think of without stopping the car; you were starting to shake you know."

Itachi turned away from the other male and glanced out the window as the rolling hills flashed by outside. It was not surprising that he feel asleep during the car ride, he had not slept in a few days in hopes that it would keep the dreams at bay. Apparently, that was not going to work.

A scowl formed across his lips as he continued to watch the scenery. He was thankful that Kisame didn't question him about what he had seen during his brief moment that he had fallen asleep but he presumed that it was because he already knew. Kisame knew what happened all those months ago and it was also Kisame who pushed him into taking the institutes offer three months ago when they had first called him. The idea at first had seemed ludicrous, but after talking about it with his uncle, they had both deemed it necessary for the future.

Whether it was his future or his company's future was still unseen.

Regardless, he knew that his situation could have turned out much worse than just taking a year off from the company. Even though he would be able to work offsite and Kisame was more than able to run the company during his leave, the what if's constantly plagued his mind, and he always found himself thinking of everything that had gone in his favor during the past seven months.

Like the fact that his Uncle Madara had been able to keep this whole ordeal under wraps from the media.

Or that the judge actually listened to his plea that he didn't remember doing anything that night.

Thankful for the fact that Sasuke had woken up and had enough sense in him to have moved away from the descending knife that night. And that the younger Uchiha's scream had been able to clear his fuzzy mind.

He felt a prodding sensation in his side, and he turned his attention back to his business partner, who had a frown on his face, "I know what you're thinking about, Uchiha."

Itachi raised an eyebrow, "Is that so?"

"Yeah; you're always thinking about one of two things. Either your company or the little brat you call brother." Kisame stated as his eyes focused on the road, "Right now it could be either but I have this feeling that you're thinking about the brat."

"He's not a brat, Kisame."

The other male snorted, "I may be an only child Itachi, but I know a bratty little brother when I see them. Example one, he hasn't talked to you in seven months. Example two, he did not even see you off and I can bet you anything, he won't come for any visits. Example three-"

"Kisame, enough." Itachi growled. "Sasuke has every right to-"

His partner groaned, "When will you stop protecting him? Four months after that night, they were able to prove everything you said was true, but he still didn't say anything to you. Didn't even acknowledge it; he just left the room."

Itachi stayed silent as the car curved around the winding road. He remembered that day perfectly, as well as the disbelief on Sasuke's face at the judges ruling. His eyes flickered to the trees as they began to thin away, leaving in their wake flat, empty pastures and a gray sky.

"It's supposed to snow tonight." He said softly.

Kisame's eyes glanced to the right and he let out a silent sigh as a large brick building appeared on the horizon. Even though it had been seven months ago, Itachi still hadn't fully recovered from that night, even after the doctors told him he had no control over his actions. The guilt was still there and he suspected it always would be, which was why he had pushed the Uchiha so hard to go to the institute, where he hoped they could do something for his friend.

They pulled into the parking lot and Kisame turned the car off. He opened the door and stood up to stretch, while reading the sign on the red brick, ' _Konoha Institute of Disorders'_. Next to him, Itachi shut the door softly and Kisame looked his friend over, searching his face for any type of emotion, but found none; his face was once again an unreadable mask. Kisame shut his door as well and locked the car before they started walking to the building.

He didn't blame Itachi for keeping his defenses up; he supposed that he would have done the same thing as well.

After all, seven months ago, Itachi had murdered his parents.

* * *

They entered the building and crossed the tiled floor to the receptionist who greeted them with a friendly smile.

"Welcome to Konoha Institute of Disorders, can I help you gentlemen?"

"I have a meeting with Dr. Tsunade at three o' clock." Itachi answered.

The woman looked at the computer and asked, "Uchiha Itachi?" After receiving a nod, she stood up and grabbed a folder, "Please follow me."

Kisame nodded to him before moving to sit down in a chair in the lounge and Itachi followed the secretary, listening to the clicking noise of her shoes against the floor. She led him past several offices with names printed on the doors before finally stopping in front of a frosted glass door and knocked lightly.

A voice responded from inside and the secretary opened the door, allowing Itachi to pass through first, and then shut the door quietly behind her. She walked to the desk, placed the folder on the surface, and then exited the room, closing the door with a resounding click. The woman behind the desk motioned to a chair, which he took and waited for her to talk.

Hazel eyes examined him briefly before she spoke, "Good afternoon Itachi. I'm Tsunade, head doctor here at the Institute." She opened the folder and laced her fingers together, "What did they tell you before you came here Itachi?"

Silence settled throughout the room and Itachi shifted in his long jacket before he finally responded, "They said something about a disorder, which was the only thing I could understand."

Tsunade nodded, "Your report states that you have parasomnia or a sleeping disorder. We treat many forms of sleeping disorders here from insomnia to narcolepsy, but you have a rare disorder called homicidal somnambulism." She glanced at him seriously, "Literally; homicidal sleepwalking."

Itachi raised an eyebrow at her but stayed silent and allowed her to continue.

"Doctors like to make complicated terms for simple words." She answered, "When you were on trail, it was noted that during your childhood you would frequently sleepwalk at night which led your doctor to place you under surveillance for a while. He concluded that your body was under stress and dealing with sleep deprivation from the previous weeks, which caused you to commit the act."

"So why am I here?" Itachi asked.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, "I believe it was your uncle that called us after the judge declared you innocent three months ago. While the judge didn't suggest it, Mr. Uchiha thought that it would be a good idea to have you treated in case of another incident."

"I didn't think this kind of thing was treatable."

The blond doctor shrugged, "It will take time to figure out what triggered the act that night and we'll need to work it in steps."

Itachi leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his chin on his hands, "How long are we talking?"

"At the very least, three months and at the longest, a year. For the first few weeks, you won't be allowed to work on your job to make sure that you can fully relax for a while. Once we think that your sleep schedule is at a normal level, we'll slowly allow you to work and look for anything that may cause problems or trigger you to sleepwalk again." Tsunade answered, watching his face carefully, but no emotion flickered across his features.

"You aren't worried about the other patients, considering my condition?" He asked finally.

She chuckled, "We have security cameras installed, there are nightly patrols and guards, plus the rooms have locks on them. So if you're thinking about the welfare of the others in this building, we thank you for it, but they'll be fine; don't try to get out of this."

"Hn."

Tsunade closed the manila folder and tapped a manicured finger on the desk surface, "Any other questions? No? Then I'll have one of the doctors meet you at the front and help you get settled in."

They stood up and Itachi turned to leave when he heard his name being called softly. He looked back at the doctor and inclined his head slightly, "Yes?"

"No one else knows why you're here and you are under no obligation to tell another patient. I know you don't want to be here, but the faster you accept it, the quicker we can find a treatment."

He nodded his head and swept out of the room, leaving Tsunade rubbing her temple, "Another stubborn one." She muttered under her breath.

* * *

Kisame stood up as Itachi entered the lobby area and cocked his head. "Well?"

"I expect you to not run the company into the ground while I'm gone." Itachi stated.

Kisame placed a hand over his heart, "Itachi, I thought you trusted me. I'm hurt." He cried with feigned despair and Itachi rolled his eyes at the action. "Come on, let's get your stuff."

They walked out to the parking lot and Kisame opened the trunk so Itachi could pull out his bags. The Uchiha shifted through one of the bags, pulled out a thick black binder and handed it to his business partner. "I won't be allowed to work on anything for the first few weeks, so I'm leaving these proposals with you. When they let me work again, I'll call you so you can inform me on everything that I missed."

The older male huffed; leave it to Itachi to focus on work at a time like this. He felt slight pity towards the man he called boss in knowing that the way he was raised made him act the way he did today. He had only met the eldest Uchiha once during the time that he worked for Itachi and he could immediately tell who drilled the work ethic into Itachi. The man was dead set on business first, then family; no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

He shook his head, vaguely aware that Itachi had started talking again and brought himself to listen.

"Kisame, I know you don't like him, nor want to, but please watch Sasuke for me."

"Like, keep him under the same roof as me, watch him?" He exclaimed.

Itachi shot him a look that clearly said, 'don't be stupid,' and Kisame shrugged sheepishly. "No you big moron, I meant tuck him into bed, tell him a bedtime story, and kiss him good night, watch him."

"That's harsh, man."

He ran a pale hand over his face, why did he hire this man again. "Kisame…"

Kisame held up his hands in mock surrender, "Hey, I understand Itachi. I will watch the little bra- ah, Sasuke for you. He won't like it though."

"He'll learn to deal with it." Itachi answered as he hoisted his bag onto a shoulder and grabbed the handle to the wheelie bag. "You better get going before the storm hits."

They both glanced up to look at the gray clouds that hung low in the sky and Kisame pulled his keys from his pocket. "I'll see you in a few weeks Itachi." He paused and grinned, "Be good and make lots of friends!"

"Hn."

His partner laughed and started the car up as Itachi walked back inside the warm building.

* * *

As the doors slid shut behind Itachi, he noticed a brown haired male waiting by the front desk. He smiled warmly at the Uchiha as he made his way across the lobby.

"Hello Mr. Uchiha, I'm Iruka Umino and I'll be your doctor; per say, for your time here. If you will follow me, I'll take you to your room and explain the rules."

Itachi nodded and walked after the doctor. They turned down a corridor, making their way to the elevator that was located at the end of the hallway. It binged lightly as the doors opened and they entered the metal contraption.

After he pressed a button, the doctor turned towards Itachi, "You'll be staying on the eighth floor, with several of the other patients who have sleep disorders. Everyone has a single room so they don't disturb anyone. However, if you are used to sleeping with your partner and require,"

"I don't have a partner." Itachi interrupted as the elevator came to a stop.

"Okay. You'll be able to lock your door for privacy of course, but we have a master key in case of emergency, so don't try to lock yourself in your room. All rooms have simple necessities, such as lamps, desks, and chairs, but any type of electronics aren't allowed in the room unless permission is given. There are common rooms that have televisions and computers for your use, and the library has several computers as well."

They stopped in front of a room and Iruka pushed the door open, "This will be your room for your time here. You have a nice view of the gardens out your window." Iruka glanced at his watch, "Dinner will be starting in about two hours. We usually don't like our patients to miss out on meals, but since it's your first night here, you can choose to miss dinner and settle in instead."

Itachi set his bags on the floor and leaned against the desk. The room was larger than he had expected with two windows facing the courtyard with the desk in between the paned glass. His bed was pushed up against the wall with a small chair at the foot of it and a nightstand table at the head. A dresser sat to the right of the door and a small closet was located next to the bathroom.

"You can rearrange the room anyway you like." Iruka said from the doorway and held out a piece, "Here's your schedule, it outlines when you'll need to see Tsunade, when meals are severed, etc."

Itachi crossed the room and took the piece of paper from the doctors' hand. His eyes skimmed the paper before he set it down on the dresser. "Thank you."

"Do you have any questions?" Itachi shook his head, "Then I'll leave you to unpack. If you have any questions, my office is down the hall and to your left."

Itachi watched as the brown haired man vanished from the door. Outside his room, he could hear someone shouting profanities, followed by a loud thud and he let out a sigh as he went to shut the door. Once the door was shut, his room became considerably quiet, with the exception of the heater, which hummed softly overhead. His eyes flickered to the window, where outside the sun was starting to set.

He crossed the carpeted room quietly and placed a hand on the cold glass, outside, it started to snow.


	2. Parasomnia

Sunlight streamed through the window, slowly crawling across the floor as the sun rose in the sky. It crept over the carpet and made its way up onto a bed where a mound of blankets covered a sleeping body. Annoyingly, the light settled on a pale face, making the figure turn to the side to escape the sun's bright wasn't until the illumination refused to go away that the body sat up in bed and glared out the window.

With a slight groan, the figure pushed back the blankets. As it continued to glare at the paned glass, he could hear faint, muffled yelling coming from the other side, and it was only then that he took notice of the small patches of frost the clung to the window. More yelling was heard and ebony eyes closed in displeasure.

Itachi Uchiha was not a morning person.

He walked silently over to the glass and leaned against the wall as he looked through the window. The outside world was covered in a thick blanket of snow and on the streets; he could see the trucks plowing the powdery substance away so people could drive easier. He looked at the desk where his watch sat and realized that it was seven-fifty. Normally, at this time, he was already dressed for work or perhaps even there already, yet here he stood, still dressed in the clothes he slept in.

Laughter drew his thoughts away from the time and back to the snow covered world. Down below in the gardens he could make out two figures in the snow. They were both bundled in heavy layers from head to toe, but despite the many layers of clothing, they still seemed to be having fun.

Well, at least one did. The other figure stood still as the other dropped to the ground and proceeded to make a snow angel. When the one figure in the snow finished, he held up his hand, trying to get the other to pull him up. A small puff of breath escaped his mouth and he reached his arm out to help the other one up, only to be pulled down into the snow. It didn't take long for the culprit to dart away quickly and laugh at the male on the ground.

Blond hair poked out from under the snow hat from when he had worked on the snow angel, and now small clumps of snow stuck to the ends. He shook the snow free before he placed a hand behind his head and laughed slightly. However, the figure on the ground wasn't very happy and tossed a snowball at the blond, hitting him in the face **.**

Silence settled over the area and Itachi watched as the blond simply stared at the other person for a while before letting out a cry. He scooped up a handful of snow and launched a ball of his own. The other male ducked the object and stood up, patting the snow from his body. He waved his hand and said something before they turned back to the building.

Itachi pushed himself off the wall and gathered some clothes before heading towards the bathroom and away from the childish actions he had just watched.

* * *

A week later, Itachi found himself wondering around the semi-quiet hallways. It was close to eleven and all he wanted to do was find a quiet place to relax besides his room, which had become very boring in the last week. He had finished the book that he had brought with him quicker than he thought, but he figured that was to be expected since he was spending most of his nights reading it. After falling asleep the second night, the usual dream had crept into his mind and tormented him until he awoke. After that, he hadn't slept for the entire week, choosing instead to read.

Now though, his book was finished and he refused to sit in his room and do nothing, or even worse, try to do something in the common room. The common room held several computers that he had used the first few days to check his inbox and was pleased to see that Kisame was sending daily updates already. However, his pleasant mood was ruined when the weekend passed and the common room was no longer empty.

Instead, it was filled with younger children and teens who wanted the internet to chat with friends online. This alone wasn't enough to annoy him since he could check the internet in the early morning since the other occupants were still asleep. It was the fact that he was new, and everyone seemed to know that and wanted to know the reason why he was at the institute; turns out little children can be very persistent at times.

Still, despite their persistence, it was something he refused to tell anyone.

He wasn't sure what prompted the action though. Whether it was the thought that they would become terrified of him or if they would give him the pity card; and if there was one thing Itachi didn't want, it was anyone's pity. This was the reason he decided to stay in his room as much as possible. It didn't bother him though; he was used to working alone or with those older than he was. Growing up, he was constantly surrounded by older figures and he found that dealing with people younger than himself in a daily, public setting gave him a headache.

Besides the people that liked to annoy him, Itachi always followed a schedule; get up, eat, shower, get dressed and go to work, go home, eat, sleep and repeat. Here, there were rarely set schedules with the exception of meals and the meeting with a doctor once or twice a week. And his doctor knew and loved to get under his skin, although he didn't allow it to show on his face.

In the two times that he had met the man, he had learned a few things. For example, the man was always late, apologized with the most random of excuses and had an air of cheerfulness around him that irked Itachi. And in the two times that they had met, Itachi had refused to talk about his…feelings, with the man. Moreover, during these set meetings, he was content to sit and read while Itachi glared at him, refusing to let him go until the hour or so was up.

Kakashi Hatake was the doctor from Hell.

Or at least in Itachi's opinion.

Still, Itachi had been able to sit through an hour with the man twice already without so much as speaking a single word to him, with the exception of an occasional grunt. The downside was that Kakashi was more than willing to just wait, choosing instead to read a bright orange book. While the high-collared shirt hid his mouth, Itachi could still see the laughter in the doctor's eyes at whatever he was reading, further aggregating Itachi.

Kakashi would have been a good businessperson if he had chosen the field instead of the doctor field seeing as nothing could put the man off.

Itachi shook himself form his thoughts and rounded the corner. He hadn't found anything interesting yet and had thankfully avoided anyone; in fact, this hallway was completely void of life. His gaze swept across the empty hallway and he realized that there were no doors on the walls either. He retraced his footsteps and found a frosted glass door with the printed words 'Library' on the glass. A slight smirk stretched across his mouth as he tested the handles and found them unlocked.

This was something that would keep him busy for a while.

* * *

The library was silent, as was expected and he noticed that the large room was almost void of life. His dark eyes gazed around the library, taking in the blue carpet that lined the floor to the multiple shelves of books that held more than just medical journals. On the right side of the wall were several computers that flashed with different screensavers and the humming of the machines were the only noise in the room.

The only other person in the room was a young blond haired male sitting at the desk next to the door. He was reading a book with his legs propped up on the table and bobbing his head gently to some music that only he could hear. Itachi ignored the male and walked over to the computers that were bunched together against the wall.

The machines were already on and he clicked on the little icon with a fox circling the world. While he waited for the page to open, he glanced up at the male behind the desk who still hadn't acknowledged his presence and seemed to be lost in his own world. He turned his attention back to the computer and narrowed his eyes at the screen. The words 'password required' taunted him and he leaned back in thought. Surely, it would not be that hard to break the password.

Fifteen minutes later, Itachi's patience had worn thin.

His eyes caught sight of a waving motion to his right and when he glanced up, he noticed that the blond sitting behind the desk was casually waving a slip of paper in the air. He closed his eyes briefly, letting out a sigh of annoyance before standing up and walking over to the desk. When he reached the desk, the younger males blue eyes were dancing with mischief and a fox like smile had stretched across his face.

"You know, if you had asked earlier, I would have given it to you." He stated, laughter evident in his voice.

Itachi's face remained calm, "Is that the password I need to log onto the internet?"

"Yup."

"Can I have it?"

The blond cocked his head to the side and stared at Itachi. "I haven't seen you before, are you new?"

"Yes." He answered stiffly.

"Thought so." The blond stated and waved the piece of paper again, "I'll give you this if you tell me your name."

Itachi blinked, that wasn't what he was expecting. He had been waiting for the dreaded question of 'why are you here' and to not hear it was a relief. "Itachi."

The younger male nodded and handed the paper to Itachi, "Thank you and just bring the paper back when you leave. I would tell you that public sites such as MySpace are blocked on these computers, but I have a feeling that that's not why you're here."

"Why are they blocked?" Itachi asked as he took the paper.

The blond grinned, "Do you want the library turned into another common room?" he asked, "There's a reason this place is always so empty."

"You're here." Itachi pointed out.

"And so are you." Was the answer along with a shrug, "I like books compared to the junk offered online."

Itachi was silent but nodded his head in agreement before he walked back to the computers. After logging onto the internet, he quickly made his way to his email and grimaced when he looked at all the new mail that was in his inbox. He felt slightly bad for looking at items that pertained to his job when Tsunade had told him not to, but she didn't understand how important it was that he stayed in contact with the company.

Kisame obviously questioned him about it, in some form or another, in every email he sent. It was always something subtle, but after working with the man for a few years, Itachi could read Kisame well. The man often joked that he should relax more or hinted that Itachi might get in trouble in the emails, but never flat out told him to stop.

No one ever denied Itachi anything.

His father once told him that what an Uchiha wants, an Uchiha gets.

And Itachi was defiantly an Uchiha.

* * *

Itachi leaned back from the computer an hour later with satisfaction dancing in his eyes. He was able to clear out his email and work with Kisame on a new proposal that had come up earlier in the week. Now the only thing left to do was find a few books to read before he could leave.

Ebony eyes glanced towards the door where the blond haired male was still sitting at the desk. A pink tongue was poked out at the side of his mouth and his eyebrows were furrowed in thought while blue eyes danced across the text on the page. Itachi felt the corners of his lips twitch at the sight before he stood up to go wonder around the massive library.

There were countless shelves filled with books that made aisle ways and Itachi quickly found a section that interested him. He was surprised that the library had recent books on the shelves and pulled a black bound book from the shelf. After skimming the summary on the back, he set it aside and continued to scan the rest of the bookshelf.

A while later, he had a small stack of books that would keep him busy reading for a few weeks. He made his way to the front desk and set the books on the wooden surface.

Blue eyes blinked up at him for a moment and Itachi could see the blond hesitate for a second, as if torn between finishing the page he was reading or take the books from him. Finally, he slipped a piece of paper into the book and set it aside before glancing at the tall stack of books.

"Room number."

Itachi raised an eyebrow, "273."

The blond hummed softly as he entered the number into the computer and peeked up at Itachi before answering the unspoken question, "We need to keep track of who checks out books for a few reasons and since we don't have library cards or anything, I need your room number and name. Next time you come by I'll remember you, but since this is your first time." He trailed off and grabbed the first book on the stack.

"This is a good series." He muttered under his breath as he typed in the title.

Itachi's eyes roamed over towards the book the blond was reading before he came to the desk and tilted his head a bit to read the title. The blond must have seen him and answered, "It's a really good book. If you like these," he gestured to the stack in front of him, "Then you'll probably like this one. I'm supposed to get the final one in a few days from my godfather."

"You like to read." Itachi stated; his lips twitched with amusement. He found that he liked talking with the young blond haired male; he was one of the few who talked to him without asking too many questions.

The blonde-haired male laughed, "Yeah. Doesn't help that my godfather is an author and can get tons of books for me." He glanced at Itachi, "What about you?"

"I like to read when I have the time."

The other male cocked his head slightly, "So, if you don't mind me asking, why'd you get so many?"

"I can't sleep at night." Itachi answered, as the last book was stacked.

Azure eyes looked at him and Itachi frowned at the male. He felt like he was being inspected for something and his frown deepened when the blue eyes narrowed.

"You're lying."

"What?"

"You'll get in trouble if the staff finds out that you've been skipping out on sleep."

Itachi growled, "What are you talking about?"

The blond shrugged, "You don't have difficultly sleeping at night; you're making sure that you don't fall asleep for some reason. I'd guess a nightmare or something like that."

"How do you even know that I'm here for a sleeping disorder?" Itachi stated.

A small twinkle of amusement appeared in the otherwise cold blue eyes, "You're very easy to read, Itachi." He grabbed the set of books and set them on the carpeted ground next to the desk, "I'm sorry, but I can't let you check these out."

"Why."

"You may be having problems sleeping, but running from whatever it is that haunts you, won't help you get out of here."

Itachi froze and suddenly, he did not like talking to this man. Everyone had always told him that he was a hard person to understand and had more secrets than anyone; yet this man, this young teen had seen almost everything. He glared at the male, promising death in his eyes if the books weren't given to him, yet the glare had little affect on him.

"Naruto, its lunch time." A voice said from the door and Itachi's eyes flickered to the side along with the other males.

A red head stood in the doorway, calmly regarding the two. His light green eyes were narrowed at Itachi; silently sizing him up before they shifted towards the other male, the one he had called Naruto. Itachi could see his eyes soften slightly at the blond, but his body was still rigid, as if he was waiting for someone to attack him. Dark rings surrounded his eyes and suddenly the comment the blond had made earlier made sense to Itachi.

A grin stretched across the blonds face, "Finally, my stomach was starting to eat itself. I'll meet you there in a second, as soon as I finish up with him."

The red head nodded and left the room, leaving Itachi to glare again at the other male.

"Naruto," he said softly, "I want to check out those books."

"Nope. And can I go as far to venture that you are probably breaking other rules here as well?" Naruto asked.

"What makes you say that?"

Naruto pressed his lips into a thin line before letting out a sigh, "You sure are stubborn."

"As are you."

A grin flickered across the blonds face, "True, but I'm going to tell you this, whether or not you want to hear it. Despite what you may think, these people here really know what they're doing. Shocking, I know. But since I can only guess that you don't like it here, you probably think that they don't. In order for anything to work, you first must try it and learn that you can't always stand on your own. Sometimes you need the help of others first before you can help yourself."

"Do you speak from experience?"

"Perhaps."

Itachi grunted and watched as Naruto circled the desk. He jumped when he felt hands placed on his back and stumbled slightly when the blond pushed him forward.

"Its lunchtime, meaning the library is now closed." Naruto stated in an official tone and pushed him out the door. "We're open Monday through Saturday and our hours are nine to three, thank you and come again." He poked Itachi in the back, "But you, you can't come back until you decide to help yourself."

Itachi's eyes flashed angrily, "And what right do you have to tell me I need help when you're here as well?"

Naruto turned the key into place, locking the library with a resounding click, before he turned to face Itachi again. "I may be here as well, but I'm willing to let people help me, unlike you. We're all here for some type of problem. Being angry about it and distancing yourself from others won't help." Naruto started to walk down the hallway but paused and glanced back at Itachi,

"Please think about what I said. I'd hate to tell Tsunade or Iruka that you're violating the rules; you seem like a nice guy." He hesitated, "And the only reason I would tell them, is because if they found out I was the one letting you skip on sleep, I'd get in trouble. That's one side I never want to see of Tsunade ever again."

Itachi watched as Naruto continued down the hallway, hands stuffed into his jacket pockets and humming happily. His stomach growled at him, telling him to get something to eat, but he ignored it for the time being.

For the first time in his life, he was denied something he wanted.

Something stirred in the pit of his stomach as he made his way back to his room, and it wasn't hunger. No one liked to be told that they were wrong, in any shape or form; it was just human nature, but his mother had once told him that that was how people learned. His father would probably be rolling in his grave if he ever found out that Itachi was acting so simple-minded and would probably tell him to take this as a learning experience.

He felt disgusted with himself for allowing himself to sink so low and he felt like the time that his mother caught him trying to sneak cookies in the middle of the night when he was much younger. He had tried to deny that he was getting more cookies, despite the evidence behind his back. A chuckle escaped his mouth; he was acting like a child again. Denying what everyone was telling him, when he himself knew that it was a lie. It seemed that despite how mature everyone told him he was, he still had some growing up to do.

There is a saying that you learn something new everyday.


	3. Narcolepsy

The slip of white paper flapped in front of him, mocking him with the black ink that flowed across the page. Eyebrows furrowed in thought as he walked through the large shelves, looking for a single item. It was supposed to be here, the computer said it was still here; and the computers do not lie.

Well, that wasn't entirely true; there was that one time where the icons on his screen just fell to the bottom of his computer, or any which way he turned it. A frantic call to one of his friends proved that the problem was only a small joke virus that was fixed by restarting the computer. He hadn't found the joke funny at all and nearly gave himself a heartache thinking of all the files that could have been lost. Still, it was funny to try it on the computers in the common room though.

Tsunade didn't think it was very funny though.

Naruto huffed at the memory as he turned down another aisle and a frown formed on his lips. Of all the books to go missing today, why was it the one that he needed? He continued down the appropriately marked row and he silently counted out the numbers on the spines, occasionally checking the paper. When he finally reached the spot where it was supposed to be, he was greeted with an empty slot and he kicked the shelf in anger.

"Augh, who checked out the book?" He asked as he stomped back to the front desk, "Don't they know that I need it; it is a very important part of my research right now."

He took a seat behind the desk and skimmed through the list on the computer once again, rechecking the numbers that he had written down. They were the same on the computer and paper, but he couldn't figure out where the book had vanished to. His eyes glanced towards the red head who was sitting near the desk, and they widened when they took in the red binding and black lettering.

"Gaara, what are you doing with that book?" He asked.

Light green eyes looked up at him, "Reading." He answered, as if it wasn't the most obvious answer in the world.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "I know that, but that's the book I've been looking for in the last thirty minutes."

Gaara blinked at the comment and gave him a pointed stare.

"Fine, maybe it was like five minutes, but that's beside the point." Naruto stated and jabbed a finger at the book, "I need that book. Why are you even looking at it?"

The red head turned the book around and pointed towards a picture, "I want this cat."

"A Sphinx?" Naruto cocked his head, "Why?"

"Why not? It's that evil doctor's cat from Austin Powers."

"It's just that…never mind." He sighed and sat down across from his friend, "What do you want?"

Gaara shut the book and slid it across the table, "Nothing."

The blond picked up the book and eyeballed Gaara suspiciously; Gaara never did anything without a reason and he knew that the other male was up to something. He picked up the hardback book carefully and flipped through the pages, expecting something to jump out at him. When nothing did, he let out a sigh of relief and slumped against the chair.

"Naruto."

Naruto let out a yell and bolted from the chair. He peaked around Gaara's shoulder and scoffed slightly, "Hey, no playing ninja in here. Take that stuff outside."

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the comment but stated nothing on it. Instead, he was more amazed at how quickly the blond had moved from one side of the table to the other.

"Sadistic bastard nearly gave me a heart attack." He heard him mutter to the red head.

"Perhaps you should be more focused on your surroundings then." Itachi responded.

Naruto scowled, "I wasn't talking to you- you!" He stepped out from behind Gaara and pointed a finger at him, "You're not supposed to be in here."

Itachi's lips twitched in amusement; he didn't think the blond would have remembered the incident from two days ago **.** However, judging by the hands that were pushing against his chest, it seemed that Naruto hadn't forgotten at all. He wrapped his hands around Naruto's wrists and pushed them from his body, making the blond growl in anger and struggle against his grip.

"Let go jerk."

"I just want to talk."

Naruto glared at him, "So talk."

Dark eyes drifted over his shoulder, settling on a silent, redheaded watcher. "Alone."

Naruto's eyes flickered back towards the table and he snorted, "Gaara can stay if he wants. Either spit it out now or leave."

"It's fine Naruto." Gaara said softly. He stood up and walked around the table, pausing only when he stood next to Itachi. He closed his eyes and slowly opened them again, making sure that his glare met the Uchiha's eyes.

Itachi narrowed his own eyes; he wasn't one to back down from a challenge. The eyes swarmed with the promise of pain if something came upon the blond while he was gone and Itachi's lips twisted into a smirk, making Gaara glare harder.

"I'll be back." He said, leaving an unspoken threat hanging in the air.

Itachi waited until the door clicked shut before pushing Naruto into a chair, "Sit."

"I'm not a dog." Naruto snapped and moved to stand up again, but froze when Itachi glared at him. He slumped back against the chair, allowing his body to sink into the soft cushions, "What do you want?"

Itachi leaned against the table and tried to relax his stance. For the past two days, he had been thinking about what the blond had told him; admitting that he was wrong was hard, admitting to himself that he needed help was harder still. And truthfully, it wasn't just an Uchiha trait that made it so hard, in a humans mind, asking for help shows weakness and no one liked to be seen as weak in front of others. Forcing himself to come here to talk to the blond was more than just a matter of swallowing his pride; it was a matter of showing vulnerability.

"What did you mean the other day?"

"Other…oh!" Naruto blinked at Itachi curiously as his mind tried to remember the exact conversation that had taken place a few days back. "About the helping yourself thing?"

There was a nod of the head and Naruto felt a grin stretch across his face.

"Well, the doctors here really do know what they're doing. I know it seems weird to just tell them everything, but you don't need to go and tell them your life story." He rubbed the back of his head, "I know it seems strange at first. You're telling someone you don't even know things about yourself; but they use that to help."

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes, "Do you speak from experience?"

Naruto chuckled, "Maybe…Okay, yes. I was really stubborn even before I came here. I didn't like to tell people what was wrong with me since I didn't want pity, but they don't do that here."

"Exactly, but in the world outside of these walls, reality comes into play." Itachi answered.

Naruto raised his shoulder in a shrug-like gesture, "That may be, but even in reality; you can't stand on your own for your entire life. Things happen in life that you shouldn't face on your own and sometimes there are things that you can't just fix in life."

"And what do you do when that happens?"

"You lean on the people around you that offer their support. Friends, family; people like that." Blue eyes analyzed Itachi's figure, "You can't rely only on yourself for your entire life and if you accept the help that is offered, things tend to work out easier for you."

The door swung open and Itachi's eyes slid over to the side, where Gaara was standing in the doorway. Apparently, he didn't trust Itachi with Naruto for more than fifteen minutes. The thought amused Itachi as he pushed himself off the table and moved to stand next to Naruto. Green eyes narrowed at him as he dropped a hand on the mop of blond hair, running his fingers gently through the soft texture, before moving towards the door.

Gaara glared at him and Itachi smirked slightly at the red head. He had only wanted to see the males' reaction and had surprised himself even with the act, but it had been well worth it now after seeing the death threat that was directed towards him. The sound of his shoes were loud in the quite corridors as he made his way back to his room; he would probably need to stay clear of the red head for a while. Not that he was scared of him, but the thought of getting into a childish fight was slightly annoying.

Besides that fact, he rather enjoyed talking with Naruto; the blond was informative and not to mention, he seemed to know what was going on. Making enemies with Gaara would make it hard to see Naruto without some type of sparks flying.

* * *

"So, Itachi; I heard that you had a run in with Gaara."

Itachi closed his eyes and sucked in a breath before letting it out slowly. He had promised himself that he would tolerate the sessions; convincing himself though, was a little harder.

"We met." He said simply.

Kakashi blinked behind his book; he really hadn't been expecting the Uchiha to answer his questions. Still keeping the orange hardback up, he decided to see how far he could push before Itachi clammed up again.

"I take it that you're making friends then?"

"I don't know if I would call them friends."

"Them?" Kakashi asked, "Who else have you met?"

Itachi sighed, "Just Gaara and Naruto."

Ah, that made sense to Kakashi; if anyone could make the Uchiha talk, it would be Naruto. He wondered how far Naruto had gotten Itachi to open up. A smile crept up onto his face, unseen by Itachi; this session was going to be fun. Well, for him anyway.

"Well, going back to the first time we met, we both know why you're here. I'd like to know what happened prior to that night."

Itachi's body stiffened at the question and his fingers curled around the armrest tightly. Of all the questions to ask, it was one he defiantly didn't want to talk about and had hoped that it would never come up in a session. His mind argued that he should stay silent, that they had no right to know, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear a certain blonds' voice reminding him that if he wanted help, he first had to accept it.

A soft sigh escaped his lips and his mouth worked against his mind for the first time, "It was about a week before that night when I believe it really hit home. Our father had been talking for a while about Sasuke taking over parts of the company **."**

A snicker escaped Kakashi's mouth as he set the book down and grabbed a pen and Itachi's folder; trust Naruto to be able to charm anyone and everyone. Although, he still wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing yet.

"Did this news upset you in any way?" He asked.

Itachi shook his head slightly, "I wasn't jealous, if that's what you mean. I was already set to take control of the entire company; Sasuke would have just worked under me. It was the fact that father wanted him to start working while he was still in school and I didn't think that was a wise idea."

"Why not?"

Itachi paused and he glanced at the window for a moment to collect his thoughts. "Sasuke was raised the same way I was. We rarely had spare time to spend with others our age and I didn't want that for my little brother. I wanted him to grow up like a normal child and not have to sit through countless classes like I did."

"You care for your brother." Kakashi stated.

"I do. But I think that Sasuke believed that I didn't care about him and only saw him as a burden. And yes, I did try to talk to him." Itachi said with a small grunt, "That night, father announced that next season, Sasuke would join me working at the company. We got into an argument; I've never been that mad with my father."

Kakashi hummed softly and nodded his head. He was starting to get an idea of where things were going now. "From your statements at the trial, you admitted that you hadn't slept well for the past few weeks before the incident. I believe that, that combined with the fight helped to trigger the sleep walking." He shut the folder and folded his hands across it. He wanted to pry more into Itachi's mind and see what else happened and explore the relationship between the family, but he didn't want to push anymore today. Kakashi had a feeling that Itachi was getting frustrated.

"Well, we'll continue this next week and-"

There was a loud shout outside, followed by a muffled thump against the wall. Kakashi stared at the door before making his way around the desk. He could already distinguish one voice in the hallway; he'd know that voice anywhere, but the other was unfamiliar to him. The door opened to reveal two boys wrestling in the hallway, while another leaned against the wall, watching with bored eyes.

"Stupid mutt, let go."

There was a shout of annoyance as one of the bodies was slammed against the wall and Kakashi quickly stepping in to separate the two. He ducked a punch that went wide and caught his arms under Naruto's arms, hauling him off the other male on the floor. The blond squirmed against his body, still trying to get at the brown haired male and continued to shout at him.

"You need to go fix my room now." He snarled and tried to break free.

Kakashi sighed, "What did he do now, Naruto?"

"He put a bucket of water on the edge of our door so it dropped on me."

On the floor, the male grinned at the fuming blond and stood up, "I couldn't believe that you fell for that."

"Kiba." He growled, "You asked for my help."

The two males glared at each other before the muscles on Kiba's face went slack. Kakashi quickly let go of Naruto and moved forward to grab onto Kiba who was starting to lean to the side. The hallway was silent for a few moments before Kiba's leg gathered strength again and he flashed a grin at the blond behind Kakashi.

"What do you know, it worked!"

Kakashi turned to glare at Naruto, "Are you telling me that you tried to initiate his condition?"

Naruto pointed at Kiba, "He made me do it!"

A sigh escaped Kakashi's mouth and he looked back into his office, "Itachi, we're done for the day; I need to take Kiba to see Tsunade." He turned towards Naruto who was trying to back away slowly, "Don't think you're not in trouble, Tsunade will want to talk with you."

Itachi stood from his chair and walked into the hallway so Kakashi could lock the door. He noted that Naruto was subtly trying to hide behind Gaara while Kakashi quickly looked over Kiba, checking for any injuries that he might have gotten from the brief scuffle. Deciding that nothing was badly injured, he led the brunette down the hall towards Tsunade's office.

"He so owes me if I get in trouble for this." Naruto muttered under his breath.

"You two are idiots." Gaara stated as he pushed off the wall and headed down the hallway.

Naruto bounded after him, "But we're your idiots." He peaked out past one of the large windows, "Come on, let's go outside."

Gaara glanced past him, "It's snowing."

"And?"

"Snow gets everywhere and its cold."

The blond snorted and turned towards Itachi, "Then I'll take Itachi."

Itachi blanched at the thought of going outside. He was currently entertaining thoughts of getting something to eat in the cafeteria, and the thought of going outside at the moment didn't seem very appealing. His eyes looked over at Naruto, who was giving him a pleading look and Itachi questioned how the blond could act so mature one moment, and then childish the next.

"No."

Naruto's face fell, "Please?"

Itachi shook his head; there was no way the younger male could convince him. After all, he had stared into the face of many death threats, glared, pouts, and puppy dog eyes (courtesy of his brother when they were younger), and never once, had he cracked.

Instead, he watched as the blond turned back towards Gaara, "Come on Gaara, you know you don't want to put up with me tonight if we don't outside. You know how I am if I stay cooped up for too long."

Gaara turned to look at him and argue against the claim, but he cursed when he looked at the blonds' face. He wasn't immune to the pleading eyes that Naruto gave him and despite everything in his body telling him to say no, "Fine." The words slipped out on their own accord.

"Yes!" Naruto punched the air and followed Gaara to the side door.

Itachi followed them since it was the same direction towards his room and silently congratulated himself on once again, holding his own against the infamous puppy dog eyes. A quick glance at his watch showed that it was close to two and that he still had a few more hours before he could eat dinner. It wasn't until he felt something wrap against his arm that he glanced down and took notice that Naruto was grinning up at him.

He barely had time to protest at Naruto before he was dragged outside against his will.

"Naruto…" He growled as he stumbled into the snow.

The blond laughed slightly, "Come on Itachi, you've been inside for almost two weeks now; I think. You need some fresh air and more fun in your life." He turned to face Itachi, "When was the last time you threw a snowball?"

Itachi stared at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, if you have to think about it, then it's been too long." Naruto grabbed his hand, giving it a slight tug, "Come on."

"I don't play in the snow," He answered, "I never have."

Naruto's face fell and he slowly released the hand that he had been holding, "Oh, I see." His eyes dropped to the side and he wondered over to Gaara, leaving Itachi to glance over the barren terrain.

It had been snowing all day, making the wintery mix accumulate on everything, and the trees groaned with the added weight. To most people, the scene of the white snow covering the gardens would put most at ease. Something about the gentle falling flakes brought a peace and calming sensation when a person watched it from a window or stood outside in the midst of it. But for Itachi, it reminded him of the times that he never had as a child, and the reason he had argued so adamantly against Sasuke working in the company.

He shook his head to rid it of the thought. It was in the past and the past was best left buried in his case. He had done his part of telling Kakashi the bare facts of what happened before the night, and he didn't plan on elaborating any further than what he had mentioned today.

His gaze settled on the sky, where the clouds were rolling overhead, letting the soft flakes fall from them. He huffed as one settled on his nose and his breath escaped in a puff of white smoke before it vanished into the air. There was no point in standing outside still; he was going to get sick.

A cold, wet sensation slammed against his head, jerking his attention away from the sky. His dark eyes flashed as his head whipped around to the direction in which the object came from.

Gaara was crouched against the snow, staring at Naruto. Naruto, in turn, had frozen in place; his arm still outstretched from the throw and his mouth was slack. Realization had already settled across his face at what had happened, but instead of horror stretching across his features, amusement took its place.

Laughter bubbled up from inside him and soon echoed in the courtyard area. It was short lived though and in the next moment, he had darted away to hide behind the garden shed, trying to keep away from Itachi's wrath. To his credit, he hadn't thought that Gaara would have ducked so quickly, allowing the snowball to continue on a path towards Itachi's head. And despite the glare that was directed his way, he couldn't have stopped the laughter even if he tried.

Another chuckle escaped his lips as he leaned against the shed. He had no doubt that the Uchiha had already gone inside, no doubt planning on a way to get some sort of revenge. His head tipped back slightly, no, Itachi didn't seem to be the person to do that.

He poked his head around the edge of the shed to see if he was all alone or if Gaara was still waiting for him. His eyes quickly located the red head standing calmly near a bed of covered flowers and his eyes continued to sweep for the Uchiha. Seeing no black on the landscape, he concluded that Itachi had indeed gone inside.

Until something wet hit him upside the head.

Azure eyes blinked and he shook his head, allowing the snow to fall from his hair. His eyes widened when they noticed Itachi standing under a tree, wiping snow from his hands, and laughter once again threatened to over take him.

"I didn't think you had it in you." He snickered as he walked out from behind the shed and brushed the rest of the snow from his hair, "Nice throw, see what happens when you relax more often."

Itachi grunted and shoved his hands into his pockets. He didn't know what had prompted the action, but he had to admit that it wasn't as pointless as he had thought. He watched as the blond broke a path through the snow to Gaara and eventually followed him.

Kakashi stood in the doorway, studying them with a solitary eye and watching them tromp through the snow. He waited until one of them noticed him and waved them in, "It's time to come in." He called.

Naruto let out a groan of disappointment at being taken from the wintery land, but the snowflakes were starting to fall a little harder and the temperature had dropped. When the blond reached the door, Kakashi chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, dusting the accumulated snow off.

"Thanks Kakashi." He said and stamped the snow of his feet before darting into the warm building, allowing the heat to warm his cold nose.

Itachi and Gaara followed after him, silently telling Kakashi that if he even tried to touch them, it would end badly.

The doctor shut the door behind them and glanced at Itachi before turning his attention towards Naruto who was running a hand through his now damp hair. "I saw that Itachi landed a hit on you."

Naruto shrugged and looked at Itachi, "It was a lucky hit." He said, laughter in his voice, "Bet he can't do it again."

"Just don't kill each other." Kakashi stated and moved back towards his office.

Itachi narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. Instead, he brushed the excess snow off his jacket and glanced at the younger male that was standing in front of him. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what the blond wanted.

The younger male chuckled nervously and placed a hand behind his head, "I just wanted to apologize for hitting you earlier. It was really meant for Gaara, but he ducked."

Itachi smirked and poked Naruto in the forehead, "That shot had nothing to do with luck." He said simply and walked towards the dinning hall. His stomach cried for food and staying outside for the short time had only made him hungrier. He put his hands in his pockets and listened to the heater overhead; perhaps playing in the snow wasn't as childish as he originally made it out to be.


	4. Insomnia

Laughter sounded in the hallways, announcing that many of the other patients in the ward were leaving breakfast. Amidst the laughter from the younger teens, there were those who were silent as they moved up and down the corridor, blank eyes taking in the simple surroundings. These were the ones that had stayed the longest, the ones that were the hardest to treat, and as he watched them move like dead men, he vowed that he would never let himself fall that far.

Which was one of the reasons why he was sitting outside in the hallway; waiting to talk with Tsunade.

He had been good; something that you normally shouldn't take pride in, as it should be common sense that you act and behave well. But when you're surrounded by things that are tempting you, it's often appealing to just cave and forget everything that was taught to you as a child. Still, Itachi had been good; following a simple plan that involved not checking on his work and making sure that, he didn't skip on his sleep.

And now he wanted to move on.

Tsunade had told him that if he settled in well, he would be able to have his laptop again. It had been a few weeks since his arrival and he wanted his laptop. Even though he didn't like dealing with the world at times, he still missed the reality that seemed to never penetrate the walls. At least in the real world, he could make sense of things easier.

"Itachi?"

The Uchiha turned his head towards the person and nodded. "Yes."

"Dr. Tsunade will see you now."

"Thank you."

He walked into the large office and his ears noticed the soft music playing from the computer speakers. The door was shut behind him, effectively cutting off the noise from the hallway as he took a seat and looked towards the doctor.

"Itachi," Tsunade said, "Is everything all right?"

Itachi nodded, "Yes. I've been here for a few weeks now and I would like to know if I can have my laptop delivered to me."

The blond haired doctor studied him for a moment before she shuffled through some papers on her desk, "Kakashi has been providing me with the records of your sessions with him. He says that you just started to talk to him."

"That's correct."

"How are you fairing?" she asked, "You're not missing any sleep or meals are you?"

Itachi shook his head, "No."

Tsunade pursed her lips and Itachi could see her toying with the idea in her mind. She didn't have anything that would prevent him from obtaining his computer, his record was clean. Finally, she looked at him and stared into his eyes, "You haven't shown any signs of restlessness that you would be aware of?"

"No." He answered, "I've been sleeping fine at night, most of the time I sleep straight through the night."

She opened her mouth but was cut off by the door bursting open, startling both of them.

"Why are you keeping my book away from me?"

Tsunade glared at the figure in the door and Itachi didn't need to turn his head to know who was there. He was starting to recognize the voice as the days passed by.

"Naruto, you started a fight; I needed to give you some type of punishment, and this was the best one I could think of."

The blond crossed his arms across his chest, "But it's not fair; I've been dying to read the last book. You can't just snatch it away from me like that."

Tsunade massaged her forehead, "I can and I did. Let's not mention, that not only did you start a fight, you started a fight in order to trigger someone's condition." She watched as a flush crept over Naruto's features, "Kiba could have been badly hurt if his narcolepsy was triggered during the fight or worse, his cataplexy might not have been that simple. What if his whole body collapsed at once? He could have knocked himself out by hitting the ground."

Azure eyes cast themselves to the ground, "He asked me to. He said that the cataplexy was triggered by strong emotions and he figured that fighting would help start one."

"Naruto, I know you wanted to help him," she said gently, "but these things usually aren't that simple."

A scoff formed across Naruto's face, "I still don't think that means you can just take my book."

"I'm in a meeting right now." She stated, effectively ending the conversation.

Naruto blinked and looked towards the chair that sat in front of Tsunade's desk as the person turned around to look at him. His lips twitched in amusement and he brought up his hand, giving it a slight wave, "Heh, hey Itachi."

"Hello Naruto."

"Um, sorry about uh, interrupting your meeting. I'll be leaving now." He said and vanished from the room.

Itachi turned back to Tsunade and watched as she pulled a book out her bag. "All that trouble for this little paperback book." She shook her head and set it on a self behind her desk before turning back towards Itachi, "I did tell you that if you didn't show any symptoms that I would let you have a computer on your person. However, if you get this computer and it starts to hinder with your sleeping and sessions, we'll take it back."

"I understand."

Tsunade nodded, "Very well, there is a phone down the hall if you wish to use it."

Itachi stood up, "Thank you." He said and swept out of the room.

The phone was easily located and he dialed in familiar numbers that would connect him to his office.

* * *

Naruto pouted as he walked towards the library. He understood the concern that Tsunade had for Kiba, but he didn't understand why that entitled her to punish him and take his book away. He hoped that Kiba was being punished in some way as well.

When he entered the library, Gaara was sitting behind the desk, eyes skimming the computer in front of him. He glanced up from the device when he heard the door opened and looked at the blond, "How did it go?"

"She won't give me my book." He dropped into a seat, "And right when I was getting inspired too. I need that book Gaara; I've been dying to finish reading the series."

"How long is she keeping it?"

Naruto snorted, "Too long."

Gaara's attention turned back to the computer, "Perhaps you shouldn't have tried Kiba's idiotic plan. You should have known that it would get you in trouble."

"He was desperate to have something trigger it." Naruto stated, "Normally things like laughter trigger it, but it doesn't work for him; what would you have done?"

The monitor was turned around and Gaara pointed towards the screen, "I would have gotten him a dog like this."

Naruto frowned, "Why didn't you show me this earlier?"

"I didn't think you were going to go through with his idiotic plan."

Azure eyes rolled, "Yes, because a dog sounds much better." He said but skimmed the page anyway.

The article talked about a certain case of narcolepsy, in which the person was kept from falling asleep by a dog. It seemed that when the man started to fall asleep, the dog would bite him on the ear, waking the man. The dog had allowed him to live a normal life and do things that he would have otherwise thought impossible. Naruto grunted as he finished reading the article; perhaps it would have been wiser to look into this before agreeing with Kiba's idea to start a fight.

He pushed the monitor back towards Gaara and leaned back against the chair in the thought. The dog idea sounded brilliant and the only problem that he could see was convincing Tsunade to try it. It wasn't as though she was against the idea having pets; he was pretty sure that he had seen a pig running around her office once or twice. Granted, no one else had seen it and Gaara thought he was crazy, but he knew that one was back there.

"Hey Gaara, you think I can use this to convince Tsunade to give me my book back?"

Gaara shrugged, "It's worth a shot, although I would wait until she's in a better mood."

A groan escaped Naruto's mouth, "But that could take forever."

The redhead didn't answer and instead chose to focus on the article again, trying to find the source that it came from. Silence settled over the library and Naruto leaned his head back against the headrest to listen to the tapping of keys from the keyboard. His mind was slowly starting to unwind and he found himself drifting to sleep as the heat from the heater warmed his body.

"Hey."

Naruto cracked an eye open to look at Gaara, "Yeah?"

"I turned the heater off last night in the room; you weren't too cold were you?"

He shook his head, "No, I was fine, I slept okay."

"I could tell you slept well last night." Gaara said and Naruto could detect the faintest trace of amusement in his voice, "You were snoring a bit."

A small flush covered the tanned face, "That didn't keep you up did it?"

Gaara stared at him, "I rarely sleep as is Naruto; your snoring didn't bother me."

"But for the past few days you've said that you've been feeling drowsy." Naruto replied. "I'd feel bad if my snoring kept you from falling asleep after all this time."

"Naruto," Gaara stated, "I'm an insomniac, and missing one more night of sleep because you couldn't breathe properly won't kill me."

The blonde-haired person crossed his arms, "I still feel bad."

Gaara chose not to answer and instead turned away from the computer after he shut it down. It was still early in the morning and no one would be coming by the library today. His gaze settled on the blond who was dozing lightly in the chair and he wondered how well Naruto actually slept last night. Naruto liked to sleep when it was warm and sometimes when the room became to cold, he wouldn't sleep as soundly as he normally did.

"Come on; let's go back to the room." He said, waking Naruto, "You can take a quick nap before lunch."

Naruto stood but shook his head, "If I nap I won't be able to sleep tonight." He rolled his shoulders, "Let's get Kiba and play a game of Egyptian Rat Screw."

* * *

Two hours and six games of cards later, Gaara snatched the deck away from Naruto. He was tempted to throw the deck into the trash but quelled the urge and tossed them into a drawer instead. Playing cards could only entertain the two males in front of him for so long and when that wore away, the competitiveness took its place; and Gaara rather liked his room and preferred it in tact.

After living with Naruto for a while, he had learned when the blond started to get too competitive and when to stop him. However, now that they didn't have a game to play, they were back to being bored and it reminded Naruto of the book he wanted.

"So take it back." Kiba told him as he reclined on Naruto's bed.

"Get your shoes off my covers." Naruto snapped, "They were just washed."

Kiba rolled his eyes but swung his feet off the bed, "You know the old lady has your book stashed somewhere in her office and it's rightfully yours. You should just take it back."

The redhead sighed, he could tell where this was going and he could only hope that Naruto was smart enough to ignore the suggestion.

"That's stupid Kiba." Naruto said and Gaara breathed a sigh of relief, "I'd get caught, she's always in her office."

A gleam appeared in Kiba's eye, "Not at lunchtime."

Naruto stared at Kiba for a while, trying to decide what to make of the statement and his eyes lit up. "Kiba, you're brilliant."

"Took you long enough to come to your senses."

Gaara just groaned.

* * *

Itachi looked at his watch as he waited in the lobby of the office area. He had told Kisame to meet him here at lunchtime, knowing that the man could use his break to deliver his computer. He also wanted to know what was going on with his company and how Sasuke was doing. It had been a while since he heard from the man and wanted to know how things were fairing.

"If you keep looking at your watch like that, you'll let time run your life." A voice said.

"Kisame." He growled and his partner laughed, "You're late."

"There was traffic."

Itachi scowled, "I already have to deal with a doctor who is late all the time, and I'd hope you aren't falling into a pattern like that. Otherwise I'll ha-"

He stopped mid sentence when he spied a blond head of hair pressed up against the wall and tiptoeing down the hallway. His eyes widened slightly as he watched Naruto drop to his knees outside a door and pull out a small hairpin.

"He wouldn't." He muttered softly and Kisame cocked his head in confusion. The door swung open and he could only watch as Naruto vanished into the room. "He would."

"What are you talking about Itachi?" Kisame asked, trying to see past Itachi.

"Nothing." He answered, "Do you have my computer?"

Kisame held up his arm and set the computer case on the table, "Right here, and all the paperwork and files that we've reviewed are in this box. We haven't approved anything yet since we were waiting for your approval."

"Thanks Kisame." He answered and took the case from the older man.

"Are you doing okay here?" Kisame asked as he stood up, "We lost contact with you for a while."

Itachi grunted, "I'm fine and don't worry, I'll be in contact with you more now that I have my own computer." He stood up as well, "Now, get back to work."

"Yes boss." Kisame teased and he headed towards the front door, "Don't work too hard now."

"Kisame." Itachi warned and the man laughed before vanishing out the front door.

Itachi dug through the box and mentally groaned at the stack of papers that filled the box. It would take him a while to shift and read through everything. But at least it would keep him busy during his time here and show that his work hadn't caused the action of that night. No one was going to stop him from doing his work now.

A shadow appeared over his shoulder, "Hello Itachi."

Itachi closed his eyes, "Yes Kakashi?"

The doctor chuckled as he moved around to face Itachi, "No need to act so hostile Itachi, I was just wondering what you were doing."

"My job." Itachi answered, "Tsunade told me that I could start working again, so long as it didn't interfere with my sessions and sleep. Do you have a problem with that?"

Kakashi held up his hands, "Of course not, I just like to know what my patients are doing."

There was movement behind Kakashi and Itachi's eyes snapped towards it, and he found his body tensing when he saw Tsunade heading back to her office. He wondered if Naruto had managed to leave the office yet and his answer was confirmed when he noticed a brunette running towards the doctor. He recognized the teen from the other day and watched as he tried to keep her from getting to her office.

It seemed that Naruto wasn't out yet.

He watched as the brunette pointed towards something in the opposite direction and as soon as Tsunade had her head turned, motioned with his other hand. A golden blur escaped from the office and into an empty hallway as the doctor turned her attention back to the teen in front of her.

"What is he up to?" Kakashi murmured, watching the scene curiously.

Tsunade dismissed the boy and headed towards her office. Once the door was shut, Naruto bolted from the vacant hallway and into the lobby. His eyes darted around the area, trying to find a place to stash the book and his eyes landed on duo who was watching him. A smile crept across his face and he was across the lobby in an instant.

He quickly shoved the book into Kakashi's hand and ducked behind Itachi, "I was with you the whole time." He said, poking his head over Itachi's shoulder, "Right?"

Itachi's eyes slid over to where Naruto's chin rested on his shoulder and the blond seemed to take the hint as he quickly removed his head. He glanced at Kakashi who was looking at the book in his hands with interest and wondered what was going through the doctor's mind.

"Naruto!"

The blond flinched and ducked back behind Itachi again as an angry Tsunade stormed out of her office.

Hazel eyes quickly located the blond tucked behind Itachi and she stormed over to him, "Naruto, what did you do with the book that was in my office?"

Naruto glared at her, "I didn't do anything. I've been with Gaara and Itachi all day."

"I somehow doubt that." She said.

"Why do you always blame me?" Naruto cried.

"First of all, you barged into my office demanding the book back, and then Kiba stopped me today when I was going back to my office." She paused, "My door was cracked open when I came back, the book was missing and you're hiding behind Itachi like a scared puppy. Plus, I found this."

A small hairpin was held up and Naruto gawked at it, "I don't wear hair things. And I told you, I was with Gaara and Itachi all day."

Tsunade glanced towards Itachi, who was skimming the papers that had been sitting in the box. He looked content to ignore them and read whatever was on the papers but she was going to need to interrupt him. Normally, she wouldn't believe Naruto when he said that he spent the day with Itachi, but reading the reports on Itachi from Kakashi made her hesitate.

He had stated that Itachi was letting the blond hang around him at times and that he seemed to be tolerating him. She wasn't sure why Itachi was putting up with Naruto, and chalked it up to the fact that perhaps he was just trying to be nice.

"Itachi?" she asked and obsidian eyes flickered in her direction, "Was Naruto with you earlier today?"

His gaze flickered back down towards the papers and he felt Naruto shift next to him, "Hn."

Tsunade frowned; that wasn't an answer.

"I took the book, Tsunade."

Three sets of eyes glanced up to the source and Itachi raised an eyebrow at the person.

"Kakashi, why would you take the book?" Tsunade asked curiously.

The silver haired doctor shrugged, "He's my patient. I can't have him moping and complaining about a missing book during my sessions. Plus, his father taught me in college and I owe him a few favors **."**

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the other doctor but didn't say anything. She was aware that Naruto's father had taught Kakashi prior to him receiving his degree, but he rarely mentioned it, saying that it was in the past. Her gaze traveled to the book that rested in his hands and she let out a sigh; all this trouble over a stupid paperback book.

Thank god, the weekend was coming up soon.

"I should take your book away from you, Kakashi," she threatened and the male stiffened, "But I can't have someone else breaking into my office to retrieve that book." She rubbed her temples, "Just, ask next time."

Kakashi scratched his head sheepishly, "Sure."

She grumbled something unintelligible and walked back to her office. Once her office door was shut, Naruto turned towards Kakashi and grinned. "You're awesome Kakashi!" he blinked innocently, "Can I keep my book?"

A smile slid across Kakashi's face and he held out the book, "Just don't get on her bad side again, it'll be better for both of us."

The blond took the book from his hand and gazed down at it happily. Excitement danced in his eyes as he skimmed the summary that was on the back of the book and he was itching to run to his room so he could curl up and read. He looked back up at Kakashi whose hand was still frozen in the air, but it lowered at his gaze.

"Don't stay up too late reading." He teased and then glanced at his watch, "I need to go, my shift is starting."

Naruto nodded and once Kakashi had vanished, the blond turned towards Itachi, who was sorting papers into small stacks. He watched him for a while, wondering why Itachi enjoyed working in a business setting. It seemed that all they did was read over fine print and look at numbers that never seemed to end.

"Hey Itachi?"

Itachi paused in his sorting before continuing and Naruto took that as a sign that he had the Uchiha's attention.

"Thanks for not saying anything to Tsunade." He said and squirmed slightly when Itachi looked up at him, "If you want you can borrow the first two books, and I suppose, I can let you back in the library."

Itachi looked him over before turning his attention back to the papers, "I don't think I'll need to rely on books to keep myself occupied now." He said, "I have other items that require my immediate attention."

"Oh," Naruto said softly, "Well, the offer still stands, and thanks again."

Naruto's footsteps vanished as he walked down the corridor and Itachi's hand paused as he reached into the box. He looked towards the hallway where the blond had disappeared and for a moment, he felt slightly unnerved, but he shook his head, making the feeling vanish.

He had work to do.

* * *

It was late when Itachi finally turned off his computer and pushed his chair away from his desk. After separating the folders in the lobby, he had dropped the box and computer off in his room before going to get something to eat. When he had finished eating, he returned to his room and began to work.

It felt great to work again; to lose himself in the words and numbers that flowed across the page, but halfway into the work, something felt wrong. He wasn't sure what it was, but he convinced himself that he was rusty from staying away from work for so long. With that in mind, he continued to plow on and worked through the afternoon, pausing only to eat dinner.

Now though, he had an idea of what was going on with the company thanks to Kisame. Kisame had also been thoughtful enough to include papers on his brother, since he couldn't talk about the younger Uchiha without insulting him.

Itachi was glad to see that Sasuke was doing well and reminded himself to call him if he had the chance.

He stretched his legs and moved around his small room as he prepared to go to bed. It wasn't that late and he could have easily stayed up through the night to work, but he didn't want to get on Tsunade's bad side after seeing her this afternoon. With that thought in mind, he clicked the light off in the lamp and crawled into the bed.

Once in bed, it didn't take long for him to find a comfortable position and fall asleep. The hours passed by silently and a few hours after he had fallen asleep, his door opened, casting soft light into his room.

Quiet feet padded into his room and then stopped next to the side of his bed. Silent eyes skimmed over the sleeping man before crawling onto the mattress, making it dip slightly with the added weight.

Itachi flinched when he felt something drape itself over his body, but his mind slipped back into unawareness and his body relaxed once again. He fell into a light sleep and a dream had just started to form when there was pressure added onto his body. It pulled him from his dream, but it wasn't until he felt something wet against his neck that his eyes snapped open.

He hissed as something attacked his neck and he realized that the added weight on his body was another person. His body stiffened as the person sucked gently on his earlobe before moving down to the side of his neck. Soft pants ghosted over his ear and his eyes finally adjusted to the soft light that was casting in the room, allowing him to see his assaulter.

The light cast its glow on the head of blond hair and the blue eyes were darkened with something that he couldn't place.

"Na-Naruto?"


	5. Sexsomnia

There is an expression in the world that simply states, expect the unexpected. Itachi understood this saying and it had helped to shape his cool demeanor as he grew up, reminding him that sometimes you never know what was going to be thrown at you. His father had once told him that as an Uchiha, he should handle things calmly and sophistically.

That was not going to happen in this case.

Despite his mind yelling at him to move, his body didn't seem to be listening. It stayed completely frozen in shock as the blond nipped gently on his neck before running a tongue over the patch of skin, and even as a warm hand crept up his chest, he found that he couldn't move. To make matters worse, his body seemed to respond to the treatment that was being lavished upon it. He opened his mouth to yell at the blond but found no words would escape him.

Instead, he was a slave to the ministrations that the blond was bestowing upon him. That is, until the other hand started to drift further south.

Eyes widened and the realization finally seemed to shock his body out of its stupor. With a quick movement, he shoved Naruto off the bed, making the younger male hit the floor with a loud thud. He sat up in the bed quickly and tried to calm his uneven breath as Naruto clutched his head in pain.

"What the hell was that Naruto?" He asked; tone deadly.

Naruto looked up at him in confusion and blinked a couple times as if trying to get his surroundings. Azure eyes widened and a brilliant flush spread over his face before he scrambled from the floor and onto his feet. His eyes swarmed with something that Itachi couldn't place and before he could say another word, the blond had vanished from his room.

* * *

The hallways were lit with soft light that illuminated sections of the otherwise dark hallway. The corridors were kept this way so it wouldn't affect the patients when they tried to sleep, granting them the needed eight hours of sleep. However, it was because of the dimly lit hall that caused Naruto to crash into Kakashi.

Kakashi had a room located at the very end of the hall for the nights that he worked the night shift, and it was his month to do that duty. He barely had time to blink after being knocked to the ground, before the added weight vanished and the figure had disappeared down the hall again. However, even though the incident had been quick, he could still make out the blond, spiky hair before it vanished. He stood up, brushed the imaginary dirt from his pants, and continued down the corridor, pausing only when he met an open door.

He ducked into the room and looked towards the person on the bed, who was staring at the door. "Did Naruto pass by here?" He asked.

Itachi blinked once and finally focused on him, "Hn."

"Because he just ran down the hallway like the devil was chasing him." Kakashi continued. "You weren't trying to abduct him, were you?"

Dark eyes flashed, "I haven't touched him." The light cast a shadow on Kakashi's face, making it hard for Itachi to judge his reaction, but he was sure he noticed the doctors' body tense slightly. "If you don't mind, I'd like to go back to sleep now."

"Very well." Came the short answer and the door was pulled shut, leaving Itachi in darkness once again.

* * *

The morning came quickly for Gaara and he blearily blinked the sleep away. He realized that he had finally fallen asleep as Naruto had predicted would happen, and he crawled out from his mound of blankets. The blond was no where to be found, but judging from the still unmade bed, he could guess that Naruto was getting breakfast and wanted to let him try to sleep some more. Popping his neck, he moved towards the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for breakfast.

He had expected to see a blond blob in the corner of the cafeteria, but only a small number of people floated around the large room and none of them was Naruto. A frown crossed his face and he left the room in search of Naruto. His only other guess was that he was in the library already; trying to devour his new book as quickly as possible.

But that room was locked and all the lights were off.

Anxiety was starting to race through his veins as Gaara moved down the hallways, trying to locate the missing blond. There weren't many places that one could hide in the facility, despite its large size. Feeling desperate, he picked up his jacket in the room and went to look outside, where a few flakes of snow were falling from the sky.

He felt a sigh escape his lips when he noticed a blond tuff leaning against the side of the shed and he crossed the snow-covered yard. Green eyes glanced down and he frowned when he realized that Naruto was still in his pajamas and was sitting in the white snow.

"Idiot, I've been looking everywhere for you." He huffed and his breath escaped in a poof of white smoke.

Tired blue eyes rose up to meet his and Gaara quickly noticed the dark rings around his eyes.

Gaara squatted down so they were eye level, "Why are you out here?" He demanded.

The words were mumbled so softly that he almost didn't catch them, but he heard the two words that made everything click in his mind. His eyes widened and he cursed to himself, of all nights to fall asleep, it had to be last night.

"Who?" He asked just as softly.

"'Tachi's." came the muttered answer.

Emotion swarmed underneath the blonds' words and Gaara bit his lip. Normally Naruto was so strong and didn't like to show weakness, but having a relapse always shook him to the core. He moved to sit next to the younger male and felt Naruto lean against him. He stayed quiet as the snow continued to fall and he didn't try to break the silence, knowing that sometimes, silence was the best answer.

He was content to sit there for as long as the blond needed him to, but when Naruto started to shake from the cold, Gaara dragged him back inside. He knew that he should have done so earlier, but Gaara had decided to respect Naruto's wish of staying outside. Once inside, he led him to their room and turned the heater up before he tossed some sweats to the blond.

"Get into something warm, I'm going to get you something to eat."

Gaara glared at him as he started to protest and waited until the blond nodded before leaving the room. When he returned, Naruto was wrapped in a blanket and his shivering had quieted down. At the sight of the food, his stomach growled loudly.

The redhead set the food on the desk, "I have a meeting with Kakashi today; you should probably see him this afternoon."

"But he's busy."

Gaara grunted, "I'm sure he'll have time for you, he always does." He pointed towards the food and the thought that he was acting like a worried mother crossed his mind. He shook it from his head and looked towards Naruto, "Make sure you eat and then try to get some sleep."

Naruto stared at him but Gaara over powered the stare and blue eyes darted to the side of the room, "Fine."

* * *

A blond head poked into the empty hallway and blue eyes glanced back and forth wearily. After deeming the hallway clear, he casually walked down the hall; pausing to duck into an empty room when someone passed. Once they had vanished, he continued his way towards the end of the corridor, still walking casually.

He knew that he was acting ridiculous, but the thought of bumping into the Uchiha terrified him. When he ran into Itachi, he wanted Gaara next to him; hopefully the redhead would be able to keep the elder male from maiming him. He was sure that the fight would be interesting and there was the possibility of bloodshed, but so long as his plan to stay away from Itachi worked, they wouldn't have to worry about it.

And it was a plan that he wanted to work.

It was simple; just avoid the Uchiha until one of them left.

His head nodded with his train of thought and a sigh escaped his lips when the doctors' door came into view. After pressing his ear against the wooden door to make sure Kakashi was alone, he pushed the door open and slipped inside. A single eye glanced up at him as he shut the door and the orange book was lowered slightly.

"You aren't scheduled to see me for another two days Naruto." His eyes racked over the blond, "Is something wrong?"

Naruto moved to sit in the chair and dropped into it, "I had a relapse last night."

The book was set down on the table and Kakashi's posture tensed, "Is that why you were in Itachi's room last night."

"Yeah."

"I see, I was wondering why his door was open." Kakashi muttered and laced his fingers together, "Do you know what happened and how bad it was?"

Naruto stared at the carpet, tracing the patterns with his eyes, "Nothing happened. We were both still clothed and when I came to, I was on the floor and Itachi was looking down at me. I think he pushed me off him."

Silence settled over the room and Naruto glanced up through his bangs to look at Kakashi. The doctor was staring intently at him as if trying to piece things together in his mind and Naruto found himself wishing that Kakashi would just say something.

"Do you wish to stay under my watch for the rest of the week?" the doctor finally asked, "I can use the time to record anything that might happen."

Naruto shook his head, "No, Gaara slept last night, that means he won't sleep again for a while. We room together for that reason."

"I see." Kakashi answered, "However, should Gaara fall asleep again, we'll have to put you under watch to be on the safe side."

"I understand." Naruto said and stood up. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

Kakashi brushed the comment aside, "Nonsense, that's what I'm here for. And if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

He waved to the doctor and left the room in a much happier mood than before. Because of his happy mood, his plan was forgotten and it wasn't until he turned down the hallway that he remembered it. He stopped midstride when he saw Itachi leaning against the wall outside his room. The head turned and he was met with cold black eyes.

"Right." He said and pivoted on his heal, "I'll just be leaving now."

"Naruto." The voice echoed down the hallway, sending chills up his spine. The Uchiha had practically growled his name and that fight or flight gene was kicking in right about now. He took two steps away from Itachi before his body was slammed against the wall.

He hissed in pain and tried to elbow the Uchiha in the stomach, but a pale hand caught his arm. "What's the matter Naruto? You didn't think I'd forget last night did you?"

"Fuck you." Naruto spat out and yelped when Itachi tightened his grip on his arm.

"Did you just think that you would avoid me until one of us left?" He asked.

Naruto blinked, "Funny thing actually…"

Itachi growled, "I'm not in the mood for your games Naruto." He said, "Tell me what last night was about, now."

"I, I…"

A dark chuckle escaped Itachi's throat, "What's wrong, you seemed so brave last night."

"Stop it Itachi, please."

Itachi turned Naruto around so he could see the blonds' face, "Tell me why I should stop."

"It was an accident!" Naruto cried.

"Yes, because taking advantage of someone is an accident." Itachi snapped, "You think you can take advantage of me because of my last name?"

Confusion swam in Naruto's eyes, "What? What are you talking about?"

Itachi faltered for a moment at the desperation in Naruto's voice, but he shook his head. He had, had too many people in his life try to take advantage of him because of the Uchiha tacked onto his name. He wasn't sure if people thought it was because he was young or if they just thought he was stupid, but either way, he never let it happen. And because of the past, he was always hesitant to let someone new enter his company or life.

"I don't know what your last name is." Naruto continued. "You never told me, so I never asked."

Itachi blinked at the response; he had always assumed that Naruto had known. It wasn't lost on him that every time he entered a room, whispers would break out but he had simply brushed it off; he had gotten used to it over the years. But if Naruto was telling the truth, than what was last night about? He wanted to believe the blond, but a small layer of doubt had wrapped around him mind, telling him that the younger male was lying.

"My last name is Uchiha." He spat out, "Does that ring any bells?"

Apparently it did, judging by the widening of Naruto's blue eyes. Itachi didn't like to name drop, but he needed to get his point across to the blond so he could understand why he was so mad.

"Itachi, I didn't-"

Pale fingers trailed up the back of Naruto's neck and threaded themselves into the mess of blond locks, "You didn't what? Think that I would mind? You're just like everyone else; you want the fame that goes along with being seen with an Uchiha." Itachi paused for a moment, "You think it would be so great, but it's not. You're always in the public's eye and one wrong move can throw you into the wolves."

Naruto was silent, despite the pain coming from his head where Itachi's fingers were laced in his hair. If he wasn't mistaken, it almost seemed like Itachi didn't like being an Uchiha.

"You're not even close." He finally whispered and his eyes rose up to meet Itachi's, "I thought you knew about my disorder."

Itachi's mind froze as the words sunk in. Now that he thought about it, Naruto had never mentioned his reason on why he was in the institute. "You never told me." He answered, feeling the irony sink in as he released his grip on Naruto.

Azure eyes blinked at him as if trying to see whether or not he was lying. Naruto knew that almost everyone in the wing knew about his disorder, it seemed that the only people who could keep secrets in a place like this were the doctors. You tell one person, they would tell another until the entire building knew about you. He had always assumed that someone had informed the Uchiha about his case.

A sigh escaped his lips, "Follow me."

Itachi narrowed his eyes but followed after Naruto, it wasn't as if he had anything to lose. The blond took him down to the lobby area before asking the secretary at the front desk for a key. She rummaged through a desk drawer and dropped it into his waiting hand before telling him to enjoy the garden. After obtaining the key, Itachi found himself outside in the snow once again.

The blonds' obsession for the snow was starting to get on his nerves.

But Naruto didn't stay in the courtyard; instead, he started walking to the right side of the building, gesturing for Itachi to follow him. Once Itachi rounded the corner, his eyes widened at the large, green building that Naruto was currently unlocking. He followed Naruto in through the door and after the door was shut, felt the temperature rise considerably.

"They don't let a lot of people come tromping through the greenhouse, we'll have better privacy here then in the hallway." Naruto answered as he cleared off a spot to sit down. "Plus, this is my favorite place to stay besides the library."

Itachi grunted and leaned against a counter. He wasn't one for gardening, but he could appreciate the lingering aroma from the flowers; it was much better then smelling medicine all day long. Perhaps when he went back home he would invest in a plant or two.

He pulled his eyes away from the hanging plants and back to the blond who was inspecting a sunflower that sat next to him. "Why did you bring me here to talk? We could have talked in the library if you needed privacy."

A smile flashed across Naruto's face, "The walls have ears and mouths at times. I don't want my secret all over the entire building." He said and set the flower aside. "Do you know what sexsomnia is?"

Itachi shook his head, "No, but I can guess."

Naruto chuckled, "If you're thinking along the lines of sex then you're somewhat right. Sexsomnia is just a fancy word sleep sex, where people engage in sexual acts while they sleep."

"Please don't tell me…"

"I'm not making this up Itachi." Naruto stated and his humor vanished, "That's the reason I'm here. Gaara is my roommate since he's an insomniac and doesn't sleep. He watches me during the night to make sure I don't try anything or hurt myself, but usually his sleep cycles come about once every few months. Last night just happened to be one of those nights."

Itachi was silent as the blond sucked in a breath, "When it first happened, my parents just thought it had something to do with my hormones, but after a while my dad started to suspect that it was something else. He's a children's psychologist and researched some information before taking me to talk to a doctor. I was sent here so the center could watch me."

Cerulean eyes darted to the ground, "You can't even begin to imagine how hard it is for me to fall asleep without being scared. I never know if I'm going to wake up in a stranger's bed or find myself forcing my will on some innocent person. It's been a while since I had a relapse, I'm sorry I ended up doing that to you."

Itachi shifted slightly, he wasn't good dealing with people when they were upset. Even when Sasuke was younger and had a bad day, he would always send him off to their mother. He didn't know what to do when they started crying and he felt slightly awkward trying to comfort them. But seeing the blond distraught tugged at him in a way that confused him.

He found himself standing in front of Naruto and running his hand through the blond locks. He had often seen his mother trying to comfort Sasuke and he tried to remember what she did, but found that he couldn't produce the same results. The blonds' shoulders were still tight and he refused to make any eye contact with him, choosing instead to focus on the ground.

"Naruto." He muttered softly. The younger male didn't respond so he grasped his chin and forced his head up, "I'm not mad at you."

"But earlier-"

Itachi fought to keep the scowl off his face; he wasn't good at admitting he was wrong. Getting distressed again would only further upset the blond. "I was mad earlier, but for different reasons. I can't fault you for something that you couldn't control."

Doubt was still etched into the blue eyes and he settled into a spot next to Naruto, "Do you know why I'm here?"

The blond shook his head, "I don't think anyone knows." A smile tugged at his lips, "You're too mysterious."

"Hn. I have my reasons, just as you have yours." He said, "I killed my parents about seven months ago. The doctors said that I have homicidal sleepwalking, which resulted in my parents' death."

"Homicidal somnambulism." Naruto said, and blushed slightly when Itachi glanced at him. "I told you my father looked at the information. I was curious as well, so I looked at some of his books, they talked about a case in there."

"I see. Perhaps my brother should read that book."

"You never mentioned your brother." Naruto said, "Is he that guy that was with you the other day? 'Cause, no offense to him or anything, but he looks like a shark."

Itachi smirked; he had heard the comment several times before about Kisame looking like a shark. "No, that was my business partner. I haven't seen my younger brother since the night of the accident."

"Oh. Was he, um, injured?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

"No, I was able to still my hand and wake before that thanks to him, but he blames me for their death and is still upset that I wasn't punished any harsher."

A snort sounded from Naruto's throat, "That's ridiculous. You couldn't help what happened that night. Stranger things have happened in the world that we can't explain or predict. It's not like it was your fault or anything."

"I still killed them Naruto, he has every right to be upset with me."

Naruto shook his head, "Well, I forced myself on you, but you're not mad at me now."

"That's different," Itachi stated, "Murder and ra-, ah, what you did, are two different things. Besides, you told me the reasons behind your actions."

Naruto stood up and looked Itachi in the eyes, "You can say it, I know other people do. Forcing myself on someone is rape, but let me ask you this. If rape is defined as unlawful force against someone's will, then is murder considered to be a form of rape?"

"You can't compare them Naruto."

The blond shrugged, "Maybe not, but either way, you know about the reasons concerning last night and you even said that you can't fault me for something I can't control. Is it so hard for your brother to come to this conclusion as well? You stopped me, just as he stopped you."

Itachi was silent. He knew that the difference between the two of them was that he actually killed two others before his brother. Dark eyes flickered towards the blond and something uneasy squirmed in his stomach. What if they weren't that different and someone couldn't stop Naruto, just as his parents couldn't stop him.

The thought settled uneasily on his mind; not for the fact that Naruto could have forced himself on someone. But at the thought that Naruto had to be burdened with that knowledge for his entire life. Knowing that it was something he couldn't control and always fearing the next time it could happen; just like himself.

He stood up from his spot and walked towards Naruto, gently placing a hand on his head, "Just leave it be Naruto. Sasuke is free to be mad at me if he so chooses so."

"I still don't think it's fair." Naruto grumbled as his eyes glanced around the greenhouse. He walked towards the back of the building and dug through a drawer before moving back to the sunflower he had been sitting next to. With a quick snip of the scissors, the flower dropped into his waiting hand and he turned around.

"Here. It doesn't really have a smell, but it'll help lighten up your room." He said, "Make sure to give it lots of sunlight and it'll be fine. Don't overwater it or it'll die and that's the only one left."

Itachi blinked at the offered flower before reaching forward to take it. He noticed that Naruto was holding a short, thin-necked vase in his other hand and he looked back towards the now bare flower. "Why didn't you cut the whole stem off?"

Laughter sounded from Naruto's throat as a smile stretched across his face, "I have my reasons. Come on." He started towards the door and Itachi followed after him, carefully tucking the flower into his jacket.


	6. Visit

The computer screen was brightly lit in the semi-dark room and the cursor blinked innocently on the page. Words flowed across the monitor while charts and graphs mixed in with them, making sense to those who worked in the business world. Numbers and figures were something that always made sense and were universal. And usually they came to him naturally.

Yet today, black eyes stared at the page blankly and his mind refused to process any information. Instead, his gaze flickered towards the small yellow blur in his room.

The sunflower that Naruto had given him two weeks ago was alive, surprisingly. Itachi didn't exactly have a green thumb and he was certain that it was going to wilt and die the very next day. He surprised himself when the flower ended up lasting for more than three days and eventually found himself in the library checking out a book on gardening.

Naruto laughed at him when he brought the book to the front desk.

His mind drifted back to the afternoon that he had spent in the greenhouse with Naruto and he pushed away from the desk with a sigh. He was too distracted to work right now. Instead, he felt more inclined to just relax today and not worry about anything.

Perhaps he would spend some time in the library.

He moved towards his door and stepped into the hallway. It was unusually crowded and he pressed his body against the door as a large group passed by him, ignoring him in their rush to get to the elevator. His eyes narrowed at them and he turned towards the opposite direction of the crowd in favor of escaping the mass of people.

As he walked towards the library, the number of people lessened and the halls were filled once again with the comforting silence. He rounded the final corner to the library and frowned when he noticed that the lights were off. A quick tug on the doors showed that they were locked and he turned back around.

His feet found themselves leading him towards a room that he knew and before his mind could comprehend what his body was doing, his fist was knocking on the door. It wasn't until there was a shout from inside the room that his brain was up to speed again and he realized that he was standing outside Naruto's door.

"Hold on."

There was a loud crash inside, followed by a curse before the door was flung open. A slightly wet hand wrapped around his wrist and yanked him inside the warm room before he had a chance to protest.

Once inside, he focused his attention on the blond who had dragged him inside and an eyebrow rose slightly. Naruto's back was turned to him while a boxer-clad bottom was raised in the air as he dug through his dresser. He was complaining about letting the cold air in and that he had shown up early. Gaara sat on the bed and glanced towards Itachi but didn't say anything to the blond as Naruto continued to spew questions.

"So, you've been outside already, is it really cold?"

Itachi didn't answer, and instead found his eyes trailing over the tan back. They traced the water drops that slowly spilled over the blonds back and disappeared into the elastic band of the boxers. He brought his eyes back up to stare at a spot over the dresser.

"Hey, I know you said I have a cute butt," Naruto wiggled his hips the statement, "but ogle at your boyfriends; not mine."

Unbidden, Itachi's eyes drifted down to the wiggling hips that were in his line of vision. He was reminded of that night two weeks ago and he quickly forced his mind onto a different train of thought.

"You know, you could at least answer me when I ask you a question." The blond spun around and a finger was pointed in his face, "You…Itachi!"

"Yes I am."

He watched in amusement as a blush quickly spread through tanned checks, and tipped his ears. Naruto's mouth hung open and Itachi could see his jaw trying to make his mouth work but all attempts seemed to be failing.

"I-uh, um. Crap. Hold on."

The bathroom door slammed shut and Itachi allowed a small chuckle to escape from his lips. He didn't think there would be a time in which Naruto was speechless, but apparently, he could fall silent when he was almost naked.

* * *

Naruto leaned against the bathroom door trying to will the blush from his face. Of course, Itachi would choose to come see him when he was wearing nothing but boxers. A groan escaped his lips and he slumped to the bathroom floor; life was unfair.

But he couldn't stay locked in the bathroom for the rest of his life. Not only did he have plans for the day but his stomach was crying for food and he wasn't one to deny his stomach food. He stood up and tried to force the blush off his face, although he was fairly certain that it was now permanent. He opened the door and poked his head out and he could feel his face heat up when he realized Itachi was still there.

"Tu-turn around." He stuttered.

Itachi chuckled but submitted to the blonds' request. He watched Gaara look at him and the insomniac shrugged his shoulder. Behind him, he could hear the slamming of drawers and the rustle of clothing.

"Where are you going today Itachi?" Naruto asked, bounding back into his view.

"Nowhere, are you?" His eyes tracked the younger male movements until Naruto finally settled in front of him.

Naruto nodded enthusiastically, "Yup, some of my friends are coming by today." He held up two long sleeve shirts for Gaara to look at, "Which one looks better?"

"The black." Gaara glanced at his watch, "I'm going to head down, Temari should be here by now; I'll see you tonight."

"Tell them I said 'hi'"

The redhead grunted and disappeared from the room. Naruto waited until the door shut before looking towards Itachi, "I'm surprised you're not going anywhere."

Itachi cocked his head. He didn't know what the young male was talking about, but it had peaked his interest. He gestured the blond over and grabbed the towel that was thrown on the bed, "Is today visiting day or something?" He jokingly asked, dropping the towel over the blond head and rubbing it gently.

Blue eyes peeked out from under the fluffy towel and confusion shone in them, "Kakashi didn't tell you that we can leave the center today?"

Itachi's hands slowed down, "No."

If he had known that, he would have been gone hours ago. He didn't want to call Kisame now since the man was probably swimming in paperwork and even if he were free, he wasn't in the mood to talk business. Although, it made sense now on why the library was closed and the hallways seemed so busy; everyone was going to spend time with family and friends.

The thought settled uneasily in him. Sasuke wouldn't come see him, even if Kisame managed to drag him, and no other family members were close enough for a day's visit. Not that he really wanted to see them.

Perhaps he could ask Naruto for the library's key and just spend the day there.

"Itachi?"

Naruto's voice broke his thoughts and he realized that his hands had stopped drying the blond hair. He pulled the towel off Naruto's head and tossed the shirt to him. "Sorry, your hair was still wet and it's cold outside."

Naruto grinned, "I bet you were a good brother to your brother when he was younger."

He chose to let the comment slide and simply waited until the blond was dressed. There was a knock at the door before Kakashi's head poked into the room. If he was surprised at seeing Itachi there, he didn't show it. Instead, he glanced towards Naruto and told him that his friends were on the way.

After the door was shut, Naruto tugged at Itachi's wrist, "Come on, you can meet my friends; I think you'll like one of them. And maybe you can ask Tsunade if you can call your-uh, fish friend."

Itachi smirked but followed Naruto to the lobby. The blond was bubbling with excitement and Itachi's lips twitched slightly at his energy. He was glad that Naruto would have the chance to spend some of his energy outside of the center's walls. If not, it meant that Naruto would end up bothering him at some point in the day. Or at least that's what he told himself.

He grunted when he ran into Naruto and glanced down at the younger male. He was about to ask him why he had stopped when the blond spoke first.

"Look, an Itachi clone!"

Ebony eyes snapped up and looked over Naruto's shoulder. They widened slightly when he saw Sasuke leaning against the lobby's counter. Sasuke's eyes met his and they narrowed before he walked over.

"Don't you dare call me his clone." Sasuke hissed.

Naruto took a step back, his back bumping into Itachi's chest, "But you look like him." He paused, "Well, your hair is shorter and looks like a-"

Itachi quickly clamped his hand around Naruto's mouth, "Hello Sasuke."

"Itachi."

The blond made a muffled noise but they both ignored him. Instead, they opted to glare at each, trying to get the other to back down first. Sasuke was the first to back off and his eyes flickered to the blond that was pressed firmly against Itachi's chest.

"What are you looking at?"

Naruto grunted behind the hand and Itachi answered for him, "Leave him alone Sasuke, he doesn't deserve your wrath."

Sasuke huffed, "Don't worry, that has all been directed to you." He leaned in closer towards Naruto, "You do know that you're being held by a murderer right now, or has he not told you?"

Itachi felt Naruto's body stiffen before it struggled to escape his grip. He could feel Naruto's mouth moving while muffled words tried to escape past his hand, and he could faintly make out some words, but the words arrogant and bastard came across quite clearly. His other arm wound itself around Naruto's waist in order to keep the blond from launching himself at his brother.

"Relax Naruto." He said softly in the younger males' ear.

Azure eyes narrowed at the comment, but his struggling ceased and he let himself be cuddled against Itachi's chest. He didn't like this new Uchiha that made his presence known at the always tried to look at people with a fresh outlook and tried not to hold what people told him against a new person. So when he had first realized that the mini Itachi clone was Sasuke, Itachi's younger brother, he tried to look at him in a different light.

That hadn't worked out so well.

The hatred that rolled off Sasuke towards his older brother was very much evident and his attitude was cold towards everyone else. He tried to figure out if Sasuke fit into the typical, rich kid equals spoiled child stereotype. But Itachi was from the same family and didn't act like Sasuke; he presumed the death of their parents had helped to shape Sasuke's demeanor.

He shook his mind from its thoughts and focused on Sasuke. Although, it was hard to do that with Itachi behind him. Every time Itachi breathed, his chest pressed against his back, making Naruto realize exactly how close they were. Unbidden, a blush started to creep up onto his cheeks and he fought to keep it down.

From the corner of his eye, he could see a familiar car drive by. He felt excitement build up inside him as he once again remembered why he was down in the lobby to begin with. There was only one problem; he was being held captive still.

He glanced down at the arm that was still wrapped around his waist and he contemplated his options. On one hand, he could let his friends see him like this and they would never let him live it down. On the other, he could try to get out and probably fail; Itachi's grip was surprisingly tight. He huffed through his nose and tried to catch Itachi's attention.

On his part, Itachi had forgotten about the blond. Vaguely, he knew that he was still there and he fairly enjoyed the warmth that was being emitted from the younger males' body. However, his brother was making his intent known on how much he hated him right now.

"I still don't see why Madara convinced the judge to send you here. Everyone knew that you were guilty and should have been sent to jail." Sasuke paused, "Now I have to deal with your stupid business partner watching over me. Do you think I need a babysitter Itachi?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you were doing well on your own." Itachi answered. "You're only nineteen."

"I'm old enough to take care of myself and make my own choices. Unlike you, I'm not stuck here in this god awful center."

Naruto's ears perked up and he scowled at Sasuke; it wasn't that bad. And since when did Sasuke ever set foot in the building besides today? Something stirred in the pit of his stomach and he knew that he should leave now before he did something he was going to regret. His body tensed again when Sasuke's eyes fell on him.

"And I'm sure that the people in this place aren't any better than you." Sasuke's gaze drifted up towards Itachi, "I don't know whose worse; you, or them."

The doors slid open and Naruto could see his friend walking through the opening. He should have been ecstatic at seeing heragain, but he had felt Itachi's grip loosen around his waist and he knew that the words had stung Itachi. But with the loosening of the arm, he was finally able to break free and yank Itachi's hand off his mouth.

"Hey, at least he doesn't have a pole shoved up his ass!" He cried.

Naruto felt Itachi try to cover his mouth again, but he had a good grip on Itachi's arm and refused to let it get close to his mouth. His anger was threatening to boil over already and hearing someone he didn't even know insult him, just pushed him over the edge. Sasuke's eyes were narrowed and they had him locked in place, but there was no way Naruto was going to back now.

"What did you say?" Sasuke hissed.

"You heard me, you little prick." He twisted out of Itachi's grip and soon found himself in Sasuke's face, "You can't just show up here and downgrade this place; you've never been here."

Sasuke's lips twisted into a smirk, "I've seen enough."

Naruto's eyes swept over Sasuke's face, "I pity you, you can't even see past your nose."

"I'm not the one stuck here and even if this place declares my brother 'cured' I still won't forgive him."

Naruto nodded his head and backed away from Sasuke. Both Uchiha brothers watched him curiously, as he circled around Itachi and started to push him forward. He waved quickly to his blond friend who was waiting at the door and removed his hands from Itachi's back once they passed Sasuke.

"Well, so you know; I'm kidnapping your brother today, since I'm sure you aren't here to spend time with him." He paused and tapped his chin in thought, "But before I leave…"

Itachi's eyes widened as a loud crack sounded through the lobby. Naruto stalked up to him, his face set in a deep scowl and without another word, pushed him out the door, leaving Sasuke lying on the floor to tend to his jaw.

"Naruto, do you know what you just did!"

Stormy blue eyes glanced in the direction of the blond female before slamming the car door shut, "He deserved it."

The car eased out of the driveway and the female turned around in her seat, "So, who's your new friend?"

Naruto felt his mood lift and he turned to Itachi, "Oh, Ino, this is It-uh, Chi!"

"Chi?" She echoed **.**

He nodded his head, "Yup. Chi, this is Ino and the one driving is Neji."

Naruto let out a yelp as Itachi pulled him across the backseat, "What are you doing Naruto?" He whispered harshly.

The blond laughed slightly, "I kidnapped you!" His eyes racked over Itachi, "Or did you want to stay with your brother? 'Cause I can have Neji take us back."

"Naruto, you punched Sasuke in the jaw."

"Yeah, about that…" He trailed off, "I'm sorry, but he had no right to say that and it annoyed me that he wouldn't listen or even think about considering anything new."

"You punched him in the jaw." Itachi repeated.

"Fine, I'll kiss it when we get back if it'll make you happy." The blond huffed, "I don't see what the big deal is."

Itachi shook his head, "I don't know what has me more shocked; the fact that you punched him or that you landed a hit."

"Hey! I take offense to that. Are you saying that your brother is better than me?"

"No, he just rarely gets caught off guard."

Naruto snorted and glared out the window, "I should have left you."

The scenery flashed by outside as silence overtook the car and it let Naruto think. He wasn't entirely sure what prompted him to drag the older Uchiha with him. He was content with just punching the younger one, but something had compelled him to bring Itachi with him and he frowned slightly. His gaze drifted towards Itachi who was glancing out the window.

The elder Uchiha was silent and he was worried he had upset him with his actions. He knew that Tsunade was going to have his head when he returned to the center, but that was hours away. Instead, his eyes swept over Itachi, noting his tense posture and how his jaw was clenched tightly; sure signs he was upset. But despite the tightened figure, his eyes weren't overly hard and Naruto could almost say they had softened.

Itachi's eyes left the window and Naruto quickly shifted his eyes to the scenery. He didn't want Itachi to think that he had been staring at him; even if he had been, but Itachi didn't need to know that. He could almost feel the dark eyes looking at him and he fought the urge to turn his head around, knowing that he would do something stupid if he did.

Luckily, the smell of a restaurant filled his nose and his stomach growled hungrily at the thought of good food. He was ready to bolt out of the car as soon as it stopped but an arm had found itself wrapped around his shoulders. He felt his body falling backwards as he was pulled down onto the cars' seat, and his head settled on something soft. When he blinked his eyes into focus, Itachi's face hovered over his.

"We'll catch up." He heard Itachi say before the car doors were slammed shut, leaving them alone.

"Yes?" He asked meekly.

"Chi?"

A laugh bubbled up from his throat, "Yeah, you know, Itachi, Chi; it's a good fake name."

"And I would need a fake name because?"

Naruto squirmed slightly, "Well, you said that people took advantage of you because of your name; if they think you're someone else, you won't get harassed. I mean, my friends wouldn't say anything, but I figured it would be easier for you if they didn't know who you were **."**

Itachi listened to Naruto trail off and he could sense the blonds' hesitation at his decision. He was surprised though at the blonds desire to make sure that he was comfortable today and he found himself comforted by it. He knew that Naruto didn't bother him daily because of who he was and he found that it was a pleasant change.

The blond grinned up at him and Itachi shifted so that Naruto's head settled more comfortably on his lap, "What am I going to do with you?" He asked.

"Nothing, just enjoy the day with me." Naruto answered.

It was said so innocently that he found himself stunned momentarily. Never in his life had he simply taken a day off, it was unheard of growing up. Yet, the suggestion that Naruto had made seemed like the right thing to do.

He felt something poke at his forehead and he realized he had drifted off. He pushed Naruto's fingers away and looked down at the younger male, "Yes?"

"Come on, please. I have money; I'll pay for you even."

Itachi quickly covered Naruto's eyes with his hand, "No puppy eyes."

Naruto's body shook with laughter, "Please." He asked, drawing out the last letters and stuck out his lower lip in a pout.

Itachi tilted his hand up and quickly recovered the blue eyes. Naruto was still giving puppy dog eyes and for some reason his resolve wasn't holding very strong today. With a sigh, he leaned down and removed his hand, "Fine."

"Yes!" Naruto cried and sat up as Itachi unwound his arm from his shoulders.

Itachi watched him jump out of the car and walk over to his side of the vehicle. With an exaggerated bow, he opened the door and gestured with his hand, "This way Mr. Chi, your day of freedom awaits."

Itachi rolled his eyes and climbed out of the car, pausing to ruffle the blond locks. Naruto ducked away from the offending hand and with a laugh, bounded after Itachi.

* * *

Lunch was a quite affair and Naruto was quick to introduce everyone before demanding that they order. The conversation was light and Itachi felt it was a nice change from the many business lunches he dealt with. At first, he was concerned that lunch would be awkward seeing as he didn't know anyone, but Naruto was always there to make sure he was included in the conversation.

He found that the oldest in Naruto's group was the brunette driver; Neji and he was able to slip into an easy conversation with him. They were able to discuss the current issues with ease with input from a younger male that sat next to the blond female. When they first sat down, Naruto had leaned over and told him that the male; Shikamaru, was a genius. Itachi had doubted that, due to the lazy attitude of the male, but after seeing him split the bill so quickly, he changed his mind.

They paid for the bills and Naruto was quick to snatch Itachi's bill, declaring that he had told Itachi he was going to pay. They argued briefly about it until Naruto reminded him that Itachi didn't bring his wallet with him. Itachi decided to humor the blond and let him pay, and the small group left the restaurant with Naruto grinning at his victory.

"Where are we going next?" Naruto asked as he laced his fingers behind his head.

"It's a surprise." Ino said, "You know, we should blindfold you."

Blue eyes darted between the group members and he yelped as he felt arms embrace him from behind. There was a deep chuckle in his ear before his world went dark as soft fabric covered his eyes. He could hear the car door being opened and whoever was holding him guided his body into the vehicle. The arms didn't let go of him, even when the car started to move and he struggled slightly.

He felt a warm breath ghost across ear as his captor whispered in his ear, "This is for dragging me with you."

Naruto snorted and felt his body relax, "Come on, you know you're having fun."

"Only with you." Itachi answered and leaned back against the car seat, allowing the blond to rest against his body. During lunch, Neji had told him where they were going and Itachi had volunteered to catch Naruto. Ino didn't trust Naruto to sit quietly during the drive and she was certain that unless he was restrained, he would pull the blindfold down.

It was a short drive to their destination and when the car stopped, Naruto squirmed in Itachi's lap. Itachi handed him off to Neji and then climbed out himself. There was a loud shout in his ear and he knew that the blindfold had been removed. It didn't take long for the blond to vanish across the street and into the store, leaving the stunned group behind.

Ino shook her head as they followed Naruto, "That boy could live in a bookstore."

"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered as he climbed out of his car, "He'll be in there all day if we don't watch him. We shouldn't have brought him here."

After tracking down Naruto inside the massive bookstore, they gave him an hour time limit. He tried to argue for a longer time, but they were able to resist his pleas by not meeting his eyes. He finally huffed and darted off to a different section, allowing the group to split up. Itachi was skimming the shelves, looking for nothing particular when the elder male of the group stopped him.

"Chi, can we talk?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes slightly but nodded. He had his suspicions that Neji knew there was something off about the whole situation, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, he figured that if the male wanted to confront him, he would.

"You have your wallet with you."

A smirk crossed Itachi's face; it seemed that he wasn't as subtle as he thought. "I did."

"Why'd you let him pay then?" Neji's eyes examined his, "More so, why did you let him win the argument? That's not like you, Itachi."

"I could ask you the same question." Itachi answered, "Why didn't you just tell Naruto you knew who I was, Hyuuga?"

The Hyuuga faulted, "Because he seemed so naïve when he said it, as if we would never guess. I wanted to protect that."

"There's your answer." Itachi stated and walked towards the music section.

* * *

An hour later Naruto found Itachi and Shikamaru locked in an intense game of shogi. He watched them as they glared at the board and tried to figure out where to move next. He'd never understood the game and preferred to play something else. He leaned over to Neji who was watching closely and asked who was winning.

"It's hard to tell, they're both down the same number of pieces. If they call it a tie, we can leave now and get back in time."

"Ha, for once you're not waiting on me." Naruto exclaimed.

Ino tugged at Shikamaru's arm, "Come on, we need to get Naruto back on time; he doesn't need to get in trouble."

He shrugged and stood up, "It was getting too troublesome anyway."

The sun was setting when they pulled away from the bookstore and Naruto huffed as they left. Still he was satisfied, he had gotten a few books that would keep him entertained for a while, and he had picked up some new music as well.

"What books did you get?" Itachi asked.

"Just a few that spiked my interest and," he dug through his bag and emerged with a thick book, "I picked this up for you. It's not a business one or anything, but I remembered what you checked out before and I based it off that. I think you'll like it. And this way you don't need to keep borrowing them."

Itachi took the book gently from Naruto's hands and looked towards the blond, "What if I liked to check out the books because I liked to go to the library?"

The blond laughed and the sound filled the car with its gentle noise, "You can still come and read in the library if you want."

Neji rolled his eyes as he pulled into the centers parking lot. It was lit up, casting light into the darkened night and making it easier to see Kakashi waiting at the front door.

The doctors' eyes crinkled in recognition as the car pulled up the driveway and came to a stop. He nodded to Neji as the two passengers exited the car and Naruto grinned at Kakashi.

"Did you enjoy your day off?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, although, you didn't tell Itachi about today."

"It must have slipped my mind." Kakashi stated, "I thought that I mentioned it though."

The doors slid open and they filed into the building. It was quiet and Itachi shifted in the silence; it seemed too quiet, something was going to happen. He could hear Naruto following him as they made there way into the lobby. His steps slowed down as a familiar mass of hair came into his view and angry eyes flashed at their appearance.

He had forgotten about Sasuke.

The younger Uchiha stormed over to them and Itachi could see a purplish-black bruise forming on Sasuke's jaw. Sasuke's eyes shifted as he tried to see behind Itachi, where Naruto was talking to Kakashi. He could see the blond having an animated conversation with the silver-haired doctor and a smirk crossed his lips. There was no way the blond was going to get away with this mornings actions.

Naruto stomped over and Itachi could see the fury building in the blue eyes. Kakashi followed him and he shared a quick look with Itachi, "He needs to apologize, he did punch a guest."

Itachi nodded and stepped out of the way so the two younger males could have some privacy. The doctor moved next to him so he could watch the exchange and gestured to the book in Itachi's hand. "Where'd the book come from?"

"Naruto bought it for me." Itachi answered and looked at the cover briefly.

"He's unique, like his father."

Itachi inclined his head slightly, "He seems to make friends easily and he is easy to get along with."

"Fuck!"

The noise brought them out of their conversation and they turned in time to see Sasuke swing a fist towards the blond. Naruto caught the fist and yanked Sasuke forward while he kicked Sasuke's legs out. When Sasuke landed, he kicked his foot out, knocking the blond to the ground, and quickly flipped him over.

Naruto yelped as he was pinned to the ground and Sasuke straddled his hips. He gritted his teeth as Sasuke grabbed his collar and dragged him up so they were face to face.

"Say it, you little freak!" He snarled.

Naruto growled, "Make me, you don't deserve my apology you bastard."

Sasuke brought his hand back and curled it into a fist, ready to punch the blond when another hand curled around his own. He glanced back and winced as his brother pulled him off Naruto. He turned to glare at the Uzumaki but the silver-haired doctor had already helped him to his feet and was checking over him.

"Go home Sasuke." Itachi said, "I would have expected better from you than this. Our parents would be turning in their graves if they could see your actions now."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the comment and he turned his attention from the blond to Itachi. "They wouldn't be in their graves if you hadn't decided to go psycho on them. Why didn't you just kill yourself instead and save us all this trouble!"

The lobby fell silent and Kakashi was struggling to keep Naruto from attacking Sasuke again. The younger Uchiha threw one more glare at Itachi before storming out of the center.

After Sasuke had vanished, Naruto squirmed out of Kakashi's grip and slowly made his way over to Itachi. The dark eyes were carefully guarded and it was hard to read the emotions that swam just beneath the surface. He hesitantly placed a hand on his arm and the slightest flinch was the only acknowledgement of his presence.

"I'm sorry." Itachi's voice was soft and Naruto almost missed it, "My brothers' actions were inappropriate, I apologize."

Naruto shook his head, "You shouldn't be held accountable for you brothers' actions, there's no need to apologize. You don't need to keep protecting him, he's old enough to be responsible for his actions; he said it himself."

A chuckle escaped Itachi's lips and his posture relaxed slightly, "You sound like Kisame."

Naruto laced his hands behind his head and walked in the direction of the elevator, "Feh, maybe you should listen to us then."

"Perhaps."

* * *

"Haw wa yar daa?"

"Spit first, I can't understand you."

Naruto spit his toothpaste into the sink and rinsed his mouth out, "How was your day?"

The redhead watched as Naruto crossed the room and crawled into bed, "It was alright, like it normally is. They both said to tell you, hello."

A grin crossed Naruto's face, "Aw that was nice of them. Where are you going?"

Gaara paused at the doors threshold, "I'm hungry; I want something to eat."

"Isn't it kind of late?" Naruto asked.

A pale shoulder rose, "I can get in."

Naruto rolled his eyes and snuggled into the blankets while Gaara switched the lights off. The redhead moved quietly down the hallways that were bathed in soft lights, his body casting a dark shadow as he disappeared around the corner.

And once his shadow vanished, another took its spot.


	7. Relapse

Shadows rule over the night, it is a simple fact that cannot be argued. They watch everything that happens from within the cracks and crevices. They know what occurs in the dead of night. They are unstoppable since they cannot be harmed, yet they are of no threat. Shadows cannot speak, and therefore, they cannot tell of all the dangerous and horrible things they have seen in the night.

And shadows offer protection. They guard and protect those who wish to not be found and silently watch them from their spots. As the night passes, they move ever so slowly, creeping down the hallways and casting their dark presence on whoever wishes to be hidden away.

Even those who do not wish it.

' _There was an odd calling that couldn't be resisted and he found himself walking down the clean, sterile hallways. Whatever it was that was calling him, it wouldn't stop until the desire was fulfilled and it settled uncomfortably in his stomach. Something seemed wrong, but he couldn't push aside the feeling that was calling him. The mind was fogged, but the days past events were still fresh in the mind, constantly reminding him of an unfinished job._

_The hand clenched gently as if trying to hold something, but the mind realized there was nothing there and in its current state, it didn't wish to retrieve the thing it needed. Instead, it would choose to improvise; there were other ways to accomplish something._

_Eyes blinked as they adjusted to the dim lighting that cast his body in the shadows. The opening of the door was the only thing that paused him and after a moment's hesitation, he moved on. The door was slightly ajar and he slipped inside the room quietly, eyes fixed on a corner. It seemed so familiar; the only thing missing was the weight in his hand that was there last time. The light from the hallway allowed him to make his way to the corner without tripping over anything in the messy room and he finally stopped at the edge of a bed._

_With glazed over eyes, he crawled onto the bed and straddled the young teens hips. Yes, there was something familiar about this situation, and there was an irritating buzz in his mind that made him scowl. He leaned in closer to make sure the teen was still asleep, then carefully covered the vulnerable neck with his hands and pressed._

* * *

After a full day of running around with friends, Naruto was quick to drop into an easy sleep. His dreams were light and meant nothing to him as random scenes darted in front of his eyes and changed quickly from one scene to another. His eyes moved slightly as his mind dropped into REM sleep and he rolled onto his back so he could breathe easier. Finally, his dreams settled down and focused on one instead of many.

But what started as a dream, turned into a nightmare halfway through and his body began to thrash under the covers as he fought against an invisible monster for air. He could feel his lungs burning and it was the panic from his mind that finally woke him up.

Only to realize his panic was real.

He blinked rapidly to clear the sleep from his eyes and tried to make out the dark shape hovering over him. The light from the hallway wasn't giving him much help, but it did give him enough light to figure out the person after staring at them for a while. He struggled to bring his arms up, but they were pinned under the blankets and the person was holding the edges down with their body.

Naruto squirmed and gasped as cold fingers pressed down harder on his throat, making him choke as the pressure increased. His mouth worked to try and get the words out, but they only came out broken and in hoarse tones.

"Ta-chi."

The glazed over black eyes made him realize that Itachi was still asleep and he tried to call his name again, but it came out as a gasp. His feet gained traction on the sheets and he was able to push his body away from Itachi. The hands were still on his neck, but the pressure loosened considerably and he gasped for breath.

Itachi's body had slumped forward onto his and Naruto guessed that it was momentary confused at the loss of contact. The added weight on his chest did little to help him breathe but he was able to get in several mouthfuls of air as he struggled under the pressure. He fought to bring his arms out from under Itachi's body and was finally able to free his right arm. The blond continued to move back on the bed but when his head hit the wall, he realized he was out of room; the only hope he had was either stopping Itachi or waking him up.

But his struggling only made Itachi's mind realize that he was still there. He coughed harshly as the Uchiha started to push down on his throat once again. Naruto brought his arm up and placed his hand on Itachi's chest, trying to push the older male away but Itachi had the advantage in weight and positioning. Physically, it made it harder for him to push Itachi off then it was for Itachi to push down on the blond.

Naruto's nails raked into the pale skin, leaving angry red trails in their path but Itachi didn't blink at the pain and continued his hold on the tanned throat. Black spots edged on Naruto's vision, making the older male swim in and out of view, and every breath hurt.

"It-chi" He gasped, words coming out in broken whispers. His hand rose to touch Itachi's face and Itachi's body jerked at the contact but otherwise didn't stop, "Please."

* * *

Gaara walked down the hall, sucking on a Popsicle hadn't expected it to be that easy to break into the cafeteria, let alone the doctors' lounge where the better food was kept. It wasn't gourmet food, but he thought it was defiantly better than what they were severed in the normal line. He had picked up some extra candy for Naruto, knowing that his blond roommate often enjoyed sweets. His walk back was halted when he spied a shadow sneaking down the hall.

He cocked his head and tried to make out the shape of the body. It was too tall to be Naruto, so he knew the blond hadn't relapsed and he let out a sigh of relief. He followed it down the hall and froze when he heard what sounded like a hiss of pain and struggling. Green eyes peeked around the corner and they widened slightly at the view.

"Kakashi?"

The two figures broke away from each other; one blushed while the other scratched his head. "Gaara, what are you doing up?"

"I was hungry."

Kakashi eyed the treat in the redheads' hand, "Where did you get that?"

Gaara sucked on the Popsicle before answering, "The doctors lounge." His eyes drifted to the other person, "Naruto's going to have a field day with this."

There was stuttering behind Kakashi and Gaara smirked slightly at Iruka. Iruka wasn't his doctor, but he had often seen the man patrolling the hallways at night, but he never thought that he'd be together with the perverted doctor. Yes, Naruto was never going to let them live this down. The blond was always telling them that they needed to get a life outside of their doctoring; he would just never have imagined this possible outcome.

"Gaara, go back to your room and no more breaking into the lounge."

He shrugged and walked off, leaving the two doctors to their coupling. The Popsicle was now finished and he tossed the stick into a trashcan as he walked back. It was times like these that being an insomniac weren't that bad; the nightlife was always interesting. He rounded the corner into his room and paused midstride.

Either Itachi and Naruto had become extremely intimate during their day together or Itachi was choking Naruto. He brought his hand up to rub his eyes, making sure that he wasn't hallucinating. Naruto gasped harshly for breath and Gaara knew he was going to have to settle with the second choice. He rushed over and quickly wrapped his arms around Itachi's waist trying to pull him off Naruto. He heard the blond suck in air as the hands were pulled away, but Itachi was still heavier than he was.

"Wake him up." Naruto rasped.

Gaara stared at the blond from over Itachi's shoulder. He was scared to let go of Itachi since the Uchiha's hands were still around Naruto's neck and he was the only thing holding him back. He contemplated running to the bathroom for water, but a cup full of water wasn't going to be enough to wake him.

Itachi lunged forward, tossing Gaara off the bed due to the sudden change in motion and he hissed when he hit the floor with a loud thump. He scrambled off the ground as Naruto let out a strangled yell and he knew Itachi wasn't messing around anymore.

Gaara climbed over Itachi and wedged himself in between Itachi and wall. Using the wall as leverage, he pushed against it while pressing on Itachi's shoulder. The quick motion caught Itachi off guard and he tumbled onto the floor, dragging Naruto with him. They landed in a heap on the floor and for a few seconds, neither moved.

Itachi groaned and rubbed his head where it hit the ground, making Gaara sigh in relief; Itachi was awake. His gaze drifted towards Naruto who had collapsed on Itachi's chest and was unmoving.

"Shit."

He scrambled off the bed and rolled Naruto onto his back, checking for a pulse and ignoring Itachi. There was a faint beat and he could make out Naruto's shallow breathing from underneath his nightshirt, but it was short and harsh. The sound of running feet made him jerk his head up and he winced as the lights flooded the room. In the light, he could make out Kakashi and Iruka standing in the doorway looking at him.

"Kakashi, he's barely breathing." He cried.

Kakashi was at Naruto's side in an instant, checking his pulse while telling Iruka to get a stretcher and oxygen. He tilted the blonds' head back so the airways were open more and a few seconds later Naruto curled up on his side and started coughing harshly. It was the only sound in the room as he fought to get air in his lungs again.

The doctor reached out to pull Naruto into a sitting position and the blond hunched over as he continued to cough. The coughing finally calmed down and Gaara let out a sigh of relief as Naruto sucked in a deep breath. Naruto's body slumped to the side while his eyes rolled into the back of his, making him land on Kakashi's shoulder and the doctor checked his pulse again.

"Its okay, his body is just tired." He said as he watched the movement of Naruto's chest before glancing in Itachi's direction. It was easy to figure out what had happened after seeing Itachi's horror-stricken face and the redness around Naruto's neck. He ran a hand through the blond hair in an attempt to put Naruto at ease and looked at the tanned neck.

His eyes rose to the door as the stretcher was wheeled into the room. Iruka had a small bottle of oxygen in his hands and he slipped the mask over the blonds face before they carefully placed him on the stretcher and wheeled him out of the room. Gaara and Itachi watched the stretcher vanish and Kakashi stood up, "Both of you will need to make a statement of what happened tonight. Itachi, you'll be placed on surveillance for the rest of the night."

The Uchiha barely nodded and Gaara realized that he hadn't moved for the entire time that he had woken up. He wasn't great at reading people like Naruto, but he could recognize shock when he saw it and Itachi was defiantly in shock. He stood up and went to sit on his bed after he dimmed the lights.

"Stay here if you don't wish to go back." He said, "You try anything to me and I'll punch you in the face."

Itachi didn't say anything and silence settled between the two for the rest of the night.

* * *

He wasn't sure how long he stared at dresser across the room, but it was the only thing keeping him anchored and awake now. His head pounded from where it hit the ground but he ignored it until it faded into a throbbing ache. It wasn't until Gaara dimmed the lights that he realized he was shaking and he wanted nothing more than for this to be a bad dream.

But he wasn't waking up and he knew he was already awake.

Everything was a blur in his mind, almost as if his mind was trying to block out the images of the night and protect his sanity in some way. However, while his sleepwalking stunt was blurred, the after affects weren't and he could see them running through his memory like a movie. And what he originally thought was a dream, started to piece together into reality and the final horrors settled into his mind.

He had almost killed Naruto.

The thought made bile rise to his mouth and he swallowed harshly. He couldn't remember wrapping his hands around the blonds' neck, let alone walking into Naruto's room, as once again, his subconscious stopped him from remembering. Instead, it forced him to recall the moments after he had woken up.

Itachi had merely thought that he had rolled out of bed when his head hit the floor. When his vision had finally cleared, it focused on the heavy weight that was resting on his chest and his eyes settled on the blond mop of hair that wasn't moving. Uneasiness raced through him and he waited for Naruto to raise his head and laugh at him for falling off the bed, but when Gaara rolled the blond off him, he knew something was wrong.

It was only then that he realized he wasn't in his own room and his eyes widened. He pushed himself into a sitting position and tried to calm his breathing down; he couldn't have relapsed, it wasn't possible. But hearing the panic in Gaara's voice as he yelled at Kakashi, it was the only logical answer. The faintest hints of bruising were appearing on Naruto's neck and he flinched when the blond started to cough nonstop. The sound made him freeze as it tore through his mind and the shaky intake of breath drained his body of energy.

He had relapsed and Naruto had paid the price.

The thing that made matters worse, was that he had no control over the action and Sasuke's words echoed in him mind. He shook his head; he wasn't going to think about his brother right now; Sasuke was the least of his worries. Itachi tilted his head back to rest against the bed and shifted his body to a more comfortable position on the bed. He wouldn't be able to sleep tonight, not after what happened; the only thing he could do was wait until morning and see how Naruto was doing.

And with that in mind, he sat through the night as guilt racked through his mind.

* * *

Itachi stared out the window in Kakashi's office while he waited for the doctor to show up. His body was tense and he was fighting off the effects of staying awake for the entire night. The threat of falling back asleep was real and even with the doctors watching him; he was hesitant to fall asleep. All the possible what if's ran rampant through his mind and he wanted nothing more than to know that Naruto was fine.

Gaara had left to go visit the blond and he hadn't seen the younger male since nor had he heard any information on Naruto. Kakashi had cleared his morning schedule so they had time to discuss what happened and he had been in the doctors' office since breakfast. The waiting annoyed him slightly; he wasn't always patient, especially when he wanted something.

And right now, he wanted news on Naruto.

The door opened and Kakashi walked in. Fatigue showed on his features as he moved around the desk and sat in his chair, running a hand over his face.

"He's fine, if that's what you want to know. There were no broken bones and his larynx wasn't damaged thankfully, but his voice will be weak for a while. The large amount of coughing has made his throat sensitive, but that's to be expected and he'll have some bruises of course."

Kakashi looked down at the folder, "You'll be placed under watch for the next week and depending on how you react, the time can be lengthened."

Itachi nodded, "I understand."

"Very well, let's get started. I want you to tell me what you did yesterday with Naruto and what you remembered from your sleepwalking. I'll see if we can find a similar link between the two nights."

Itachi blinked, "I don't remember anything from the night; it's all blurred and seems like a bad dream I can't recall. The only thing I remember was waking up after I hit my head on the floor and Naruto was on my chest. Even some of those details are fuzzy." He shifted slightly in his seat, "However, concerning the afternoon, we didn't do much yesterday. We had lunch and went to a bookstore, that's it; it was relaxing and I don't believe that's what triggered the relapse."

"Anything else?" Kakashi asked, "Something perhaps stressed you out during the day or right before you went to bed?"

"Sasuke was here." He said

The doctor paused in his writing, "Your brother, that's right; he riled Naruto up pretty well. Perhaps Naruto punching him had something to do with the relapse."

Itachi shook his head, "Sasuke deserved that and I don't hold Naruto accountable for that. If anything, it was Sasuke's behavior that had me upset the most." He hesitated, "but that still doesn't explain why I attacked Naruto."

"Your disorder is a rare case and it's hard to say why you attacked him. The case studies that have been documented mentioned that the victim was dreaming during the time of the act and was often fighting whatever it was they were dreaming about. Maybe you thought Naruto was Sasuke, or perhaps you were trying to punish Naruto for harming your younger brother."

Itachi's eyes narrowed and his voice was cold when he answered, "I wouldn't want to harm my younger brother, even if his actions were out of hand. And I wouldn't even think about injuring Naruto."

Kakashi held up a hand, "I'm sorry, that was wrong of me to suggest it. However, I have to look at this from all sides." He set down the folder and sucked in a breath, "I'm only going to propose this as a theory and it's very much so in the works. In your first act, you mentioned that you were upset with your father over his choice for Sasuke, and during that night, you still went after Sasuke. Last night, you were upset with Sasuke and went after Naruto."

"The fact that you went after Sasuke when you were mad at your father and now Naruto when you were mad at Sasuke, shows that you were thinking about them. It is understandable in your brothers' case, as Sasuke is your younger brother and you two are…somewhat close. But Naruto is fairly new to you since you've only been here for about a month; give or take."

A frown appeared on Itachi's face, "What are you suggesting?"

Kakashi didn't answer for a while, almost as if he was weighing the thought himself. And when he did finally speak, the words were slow and full of thought, "I believe, and this is just a theory; that the stress that causes these actions revolve around Sasuke. In both cases, Sasuke has been the common factor; if he's stressing you out, whether through his actions or your concern, then you fall asleep with that in mind."

"And this has to deal with Naruto how?" Itachi asked.

"Despite the fact that you were upset with Sasuke, your mind was on Naruto; this could have led you to his room last night. You may have some strong feelings for him that you aren't aware of yet and seeing your brother assault him could have triggered the act." Kakashi looked at Itachi and laced his fingers together, "Do you care for Naruto, Itachi?"

Itachi was silent and Kakashi studied his face. It was carefully guarded and no emotions flickered in his dark eyes; it was a self defense mechanism to keep him out and everything else in. He wasn't going to get any more answers out of Itachi today and or any in the future, if he asked the question again. Some subjects were always touchy and he had realized that he had crossed Itachi's comfort zone in asking about the relationship between him and the blond.

From what he had heard from Itachi in his previous sessions, he rarely was close with others; especially after the incident. In his mind, if he pushed them away, he couldn't hurt them, yet Naruto had somehow squirmed past Itachi's defensives. Now Naruto was hurt and was paying the price for it.

"We're done for the day Itachi. Tsunade and I will discuss what we'll do next and inform you when we reach our conclusion." He looked at Itachi that had yet to relax his body ever since the asked question, "Naruto will be in the medical hall for the rest of the day, he should be released tomorrow and you can see him then. Until then, I suggest that you relax and try to get some sleep; you look like your about to pass out."

Itachi didn't answer but instead stood up from the chair and swept out of the room. The shutting door was loud in the silent room and Kakashi stared at door before looking down at the papers that littered his desk. His eyebrows furrowed in thought as he pushed through the papers, scowling at what he had written down; there wasn't much to go off and if he wanted to reach a conclusion, he needed more information.

He pushed away from the desk and turned to face the window, frowning lightly. He couldn't do anything right now to assist Itachi, he could only sit back and watch things as they unfolded and act when it was needed.

* * *

"Make sure you take it easy for the next few days. Don't eat anything too hot or cold and try to eat soft foods, they'll be better for your throat."

Naruto scowled at Tsunade, "Are you telling me that I should only eat soup?"

"That would be beneficial, but you'll be fine with small quantities of ice cream if you crave sugar." She answered. "Try not to strain your throat too much and you'll heal faster."

The blond grinned, "Bah, you know me, I'm a fast healer."

She ruffled his hair and smiled when he batted her hand away, "Just take it easy and we'll have a meeting in a few days."

Naruto nodded and walked down the hallway. He was glad that he was finally leaving the medical wing; it smelt much more sterile than the other wings and it was very lonely. Even though Gaara had stopped by to visit him, the redhead could only stay for a short time before he had to leave. This meant that Naruto was by himself for the entire day with nothing to do or anyone to talk to. His body hurt slightly due to the stress from the coughing fit but it only ached every now and then but the doctors still wouldn't let him leave yesterday. It had taken a great deal of pleading to let him leave today.

He continued walking down the hall and towards his room so he could pick up his notebook. Staring at the ceiling for hours on end was boring and he had been inspired during that time. When he entered his room, he was shocked to find it clean and he looked at Gaara who was sitting on a bed.

"I was bored."

A smile stretched across Naruto's face, "Glad to see you were productive while I was away." He spun around, "I can see the floor now! Maybe we should keep it this way."

Gaara grunted, "Come on, I want to get online and you're the only one with the library key."

"Nice to know I'm appreciated." Naruto answered as he grabbed his notebook. They moved down the corridor and Naruto glanced at Gaara, "How's Itachi doing?"

"I think the question should be; how are you doing?" Gaara stated, "You had passed out before they placed you on the stretcher."

Naruto was silent as they continued down the hall and when they reached the doors to the library, he paused. "I'm fine."

His roommate stared at him, trying to gauge his response. Blue eyes shown brightly still, despite the bandaging around his neck from where Itachi's nails had broken the skin and his voice sounded steady. Overall, Naruto seemed perfectly fine and had come out on top of the incident, but Gaara had one small concern. Naruto might be able to act brave now, but what happened when he had to face Itachi again?

Despite Itachi's condition that had him here, he had almost choked Naruto to death. The blond was quick to forgive and hard to anger, but Gaara had doubts that he could easily overlook the incident without some fear creeping into his mind. There was no doubt that Naruto would be jumpy around the Uchiha, and possibly be scared of him.

The doors were pushed open and Naruto clicked the lights on before taking his place behind the desk. He watched as Gaara turned on the computers and he settled into a chair, ready for another quiet day. Tsunade told him to relax and take it easy, and he couldn't think of a better way than spending it reading. It didn't take him long to relax in the chair and immerse himself in his notebook.

"Naruto."

The voice was soft but his ears could easily recognize it and he felt his body tense slightly. Unbidden, the events from the past nights surfaced in his mind; the dark soulless eyes, the heavy pressure on his neck and the emotionless face. He could hear his heartbeat racing in his ear and it was getting harder to breathe as he gripped the edges of his notebook a little tighter. His eyes squeezed shut and he forced his breathing to calm down as he pushed the memories away before he turned to face the voice.

"Hey Itachi." He whispered hoarsely

Itachi was on the other side of the counter giving him plenty of space and his heart calmed down considerably; Itachi wasn't the person he was nights ago. His face was guarded carefully but he could see the tense shoulders and he knew that Itachi was on edge as well.

Itachi stared at Naruto carefully, knowing that he needed to keep his distance, lest the blond had a panic attack. He had already seen the beginnings of one when he first called his name, but Naruto had seemed to quell the attack. His hands were in his pockets and he shifted slowly so he didn't startle Naruto; the last thing he wanted was for Naruto to completely push him away. The thought dug deeply into him and made him ache.

Itachi shook his head, "Naruto, how are you really?

"I'm fine Itachi. They said that the coughing was from something called air hunger." Naruto stated, "Where the body triggers reactions to restore breathing."

"What about emotionally?" He asked, "I understand if you don't want me to come around anymore, but first just let me say that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Naruto blinked and his head dropped as his eyes darted to the side, "Itachi…"

Itachi nodded, "I understand Naruto."

The door shut with a soft click and Naruto's head snapped up when he realized Itachi had left. He pushed himself out of the chair and bolted out of the door, easily locating Itachi walking down the hallway. He collided with Itachi's back and his arms wrapped around his waist, "Wait, please."

The Uchiha's body froze and he felt Naruto release his grip but his forehead remained pressed between his shoulder blades, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to take it that way. I'll admit it, I was scared when I saw you again, and I couldn't stop the memories from coming back. And I was scared when I first woke up, but I knew what was going on and that you weren't trying to hurt me on purpose. But I don't want you to go away."

Itachi turned around and gently raised his hand to cup Naruto's cheek. "Naruto, I could have…"

"But you didn't, and I have no right to hate you for something that you can't control. You didn't leave me after my relapse with you, and I'm not leaving you after yours." He raised his hand and let it rest on Itachi's, "Please don't push me away."

Dark eyes darted down towards the white wrap that circled around Naruto's neck and Itachi knew what they hid. He dropped his hand to the side and shook his head, "I can't; next time might not turn out this way and you might not be as lucky. I don't want you hurt again."

"You won't."Naruto stated stubbornly, "You're much stronger than me, you could have easily done much worse, but you didn't. I think that something was holding you back, and that's why I know you won't hurt me."

Itachi scowled, "You're too trusting and it's going to get you in trouble in the future."

A smirk stretched across Naruto's face, "Then you'll need to be there to keep me out of trouble." He coughed slightly before continuing in a softer tone, "That's why you can't push me away."

Itachi was silent as he watched Naruto carefully and he let out a sigh, "If you keep talking you're going to make it harder for your throat to recover." Naruto cocked his head at him, "Let's go get you something warm."

Naruto grinned after Itachi turned around and started to walk towards the cafeteria. Even though the Uchiha wouldn't say it, he knew that this was his way of saying that he wouldn't push him away and it made him happy. He bounded after Itachi and tugged on his shirtsleeve, "How about some ice cream instead."

"No, you're hyper enough without the added sugar; I can only imagine you with sugar in your system."

"Did you just make a joke?" Naruto asked, "I didn't know you had it in you."

"Hush." Itachi said as he pushed Naruto through the doors.

In the end, Naruto was allowed to have a small bowl of ice cream after he finished his soup, but Itachi will deny that he ever gave it to the blond.


	8. The Notion that is Fear

The office was brightly lit due to the light coming in from the window. It was a little too bright for his liking and Naruto found himself squinting in the rays of the sun. He darted his eyes elsewhere as he squirmed impatiently for Tsunade to show up. He was fairly certain he knew why he was in Tsunade's office and Kakashi had warned him that he would get in trouble for punching Sasuke.

A groan escaped his lips; he didn't want to be punished again. Especially since, it wasn't his fault.

' _Arrogant prick.'_

Behind him, the door swung open and his body tensed in the chair as Tsunade circled around the desk, followed closely by Kakashi. Her hazel eyes were serious and her face showed no emotions as she took her seat. Kakashi stood next to him and while his presence was comforting, there was something off about his stature and it was putting him on edge.

"Naruto."

"I didn't mean to do it, he started it!" He cried.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, "Tell me how you antagonized him."

"Well, he was talking shi-ah, badly about the center and his brother and it didn't seem right. Then he insulted me and you know I can't take that, so I punched him."

"Are we talking about the same subject?" Tsunade questioned.

Naruto cocked his head to the side, "Aren't we talking about Sas-" He stopped, "Heh, I don't know, you tell me what we're talking about."

Hazel eyes narrowed, "I was talking about the other night. Your run in with Itachi."

Her gaze traveled down to his neck where dark purplish-blue bruises showed on the tan skin. They stood out remarkably and Tsunade could easily count the finger marks that marred the skin. It had been about three days since the attack and she had heard from Iruka that he had seen Naruto and Itachi talking in the hall yesterday and she wondered if everything was all right between them.

Naruto squirmed again, "Oh, that." He unconsciously brought his hand up to his throat and gently rubbed it, "I'm fine. I talked with Itachi yesterday and we're okay."

Next to him, Kakashi turned, "Perhaps you would like to move to another section of the ward for a while, to cope. I know you say you're fine, but mentally you can still be shaken up."

"He didn't mean to do it." Naruto answered softly, "When we talked yesterday, I could see the guilt and hurt in his eyes. He feels awful about it and blames himself. If I leave to another section, it would hurt him more. He's still raw from his family incident."

"He almost killed you." Kakashi stated, "If he relapses again, he might try to finish the job."

The blond shook his head, "I trust him."

Tsunade grunted, "You can't force him to move Kakashi and Itachi is on probation for a while. Under your request, he'll still have his computer and other work related items to see if that brings about the symptoms. As it stands, one of his partners has already called a few days ago to see him today; we can't deny that to Itachi anyway. You can use this to test this theory."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes but nodded nonetheless and his hand dropped to Naruto's shoulder, "I'd still like to suggest that Naruto have another hour in session to help prevent any trauma; just to be on the safe side."

"Very well." Tsunade answered and turned to Naruto, "This will only stand for the next week unless you show signs of distress. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good, now what was the other reason you thought you were in here for?"

Naruto laughed, "Nothing! I need to go and meet up with Gaara; bye!"

There was a brief gust of wind and Naruto had vanished from the room. Tsunade shook her head and looked towards Kakashi, "What did he do that has him so riled up?"

"I already took care of his punishment, no need to bother you with it." Kakashi answered.

She watched him leave and leaned back in the chair after the door shut. This whole ordeal was stressful and made her feel old; perhaps she should take the day off and sleep.

* * *

When Itachi had woken up that morning, he had been surprised to find Iruka waiting for him at breakfast. He mentally sighed, knowing that this had to do with something from the past night, but he had been startled to discover that Kisame was coming by the center today. They had received a call from his partner a few days go and he had asked to meet with Itachi.

Not that he was complaining. It would be nice to leave the center right now and just get away from everything. Despite the talk with Naruto yesterday, he still felt bad and he had spent most of the night trying to think of a way to keep the blond away from him. He didn't want anything else to happen to him and he'd be damned if he attacked the younger male again.

Itachi walked into the lobby so he could wait for Kisame to show up. The call itself was weird; he hadn't expected the older man to just randomly stop by and see him. Something was up and he wondered if the center informed him about his relapse. Although it made more sense for them to call either Sasuke or Madara since they were family.

Well, maybe not Sasuke; he'd try to convince them to send him to jail, and Madara…perhaps Madara wasn't the best choice either. His uncle had a tendency to overreact a little, especially when it came to family matters. The elder Uchiha would probably think Naruto wanted to sue them for bodily damage.

Strange as it seemed, Kisame was probably the most level headed to deal with the news.

A familiar car pulled up and Itachi walked through the sliding glass doors. He scowled at the use of the company car, but slid inside anyway.

"Where have you been keeping this beauty?" Kisame asked as he pulled away from the center, "She has great acceleration and turns on a dime."

"Kisame, that's the company car, what are you doing with it?"

The man laughed, "Well, I'm picking up the president of our company; I think that qualifies as a good reason to use the car." He waggled his eyebrows, "Come on, you know you like it."

Itachi grunted as they continued to speed down the road, kicking up gravel along the way. It felt nice to be in the presence of his partner again, where he knew what to expect. Although he had learned to expect the unexpected from Naruto; you never knew what he was going to do next and Itachi found that it was nice change of pace.

"So why are you here?" He asked.

"Always cutting to the chase, eh?" Kisame said with a chuckle, "I received a call a few days ago about some visiting day and that no one informed you about it. This doctor said that one of the patients begged her to allow you to go out with your uh, how did she say it? Ah yes, I believe he called me your 'fishy friend.' So I called back to schedule a date and here I am."

Itachi shook his head, "Naruto."

"Hm?"

They pulled into a parking spot outside a restaurant and exited the car. They requested a booth in the corner for privacy and once they were seated, Kisame looked Itachi over. Itachi looked normal; calm and composed as he scanned over the menu, but the faintest hints of black were visible under his eyes and he seemed uptight. Well, more tense than normal but there was still an air of ease that seemed to surround Itachi.

Kisame took a sip of water that was brought to them and cleared his throat, "How have you been doing?"

Itachi didn't glance up from the menu, "I'm going to ignore that question."

"Itachi, something must have happened; you look like death, which is worse than looking like shit."

An eyebrow rose at the statement, "Really now?

His partner nodded, "Yes. And another thing, did you know that Sasuke came home with a fat lip? I'm sure that the center doesn't tell you what goes on outside but seeing as he's your brother and all, I figured you'd like to know."

Itachi simply grunted and Kisame stared at him; that was not the reaction he had expected. He was waiting for the protective, older brother side of Itachi to rear its head at the news; but Itachi seemed oddly calm about the news. Kisame frowned in thought and tried to think of a time when Itachi had seemed this nonchalant about Sasuke.

"Did you get laid?" He blurted out.

"Excuse me?" Itachi's voice was calm, but it held a deadly undertone that made Kisame shift in his seat.

"You just seem…different."

Itachi was silent as he inspected his partner. He didn't feel different; he still felt like the person he was yesterday and the day before that. Nothing had changed. Blue eyes and blond hair flashed in his mind and he winced slightly as he remembered seeing Naruto going into Tsunade's office. His eyes were bright still, but behind them lurked a slight sliver of fear and he knew that he was the cause of it.

Itachi set the menu down and leaned his cheek against his knuckles. "How do I seem different Kisame?"

The man shrugged, "You seem calmer, like the news about Sasuke didn't upset you. Whatever they're doing to relax you at the center is working; its as if you've found something that makes you happy." Kisame paused to study him again, "I'd almost say that you have strong feelings for this thing that is making you happy."

"Feelings?"

His words were carefully guarded and his hand was clenched tightly at his side. This was the second time that someone had mentioned that word and it stirred in his stomach like a snake, no matter how hard he tried to push it aside. That word was something that was rarely in his vocabulary and if it was mentioned, it was to downgrade it.

' _An Uchiha doesn't have time for foolish emotions. Emotions simply get in the way.'_

The waiter drifted towards their table to take their order, breaking his train of thought. He ordered something simple and once Kisame ordered, the waiter left again. Silence settled over the table and Itachi had the notion that Kisame felt he had stepped out of line. He took a sip of water, letting the cold liquid wet his lips and rush down his throat before he spoke again.

"When the center called, did they tell you anything else?" He finally asked. Kisame shook his head and Itachi sighed, "A few nights ago, I had a relapse."

Suddenly Kisame looked uncomfortable, "Shit man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep prodding you like that; you just seemed off. I was worried."

Itachi smirked, "Trust me; your prodding is much better than Kakashi's. But that's not what's bothering me." His fingers wrapped around the thin stemware of the glass and the iciness of it sent chills through his body. "I nearly killed someone; someone who always seems to be…there. He has this thought that I'm too uptight and it's his job to make me relax."

Kisame chuckled at this, "I like this friend of yours already."

"Who said he was my friend?"

"Because partners, acquaintances, and random people can't invoke emotions like this in you; they need to be close in order to make an effect. Besides, you are obviously letting him stay by you with no intent on pushing him away. That sounds like a friend to me."

Itachi grunted, "Which is exactly why I can't let him stay with me."

The waiter appeared at their table with a tray full of food and he carefully set the plates on the table. Itachi could see Kisame eyeing him over the waiters arm but he chose to ignore the look and instead focused on his meal. He had been hungry when they left, but now his previous sentence settled like a lump in his stomach making the food look unappetizing. They ate in silence, occasionally commenting on the food, but never mentioning the previous statement.

When they finished eating, they paid for the bill and left the restaurant. It wasn't until they were in the quiet of the car that Kisame broke the silence that had fallen over them in the restaurant. "What are you scared of?"

Itachi glanced out of the window, waiting for Kisame to start the car but when the engine sat idle, he sighed. "If I let him stay near me, I'm going to end up hurting him again. He said that I won't but I don't want to take that chance."

The car started and his partner carefully backed out of the parking spot. Once they pulled into traffic, he answered softly, "It sounds to me like he cares about you and even though he knows the risks; he's willing to stay with you. If he trusts you, you should respect that and let him stay."

"I don't want him hurt." Itachi stated, "But he insists on dragging me everywhere with him; whether it's to play in the snow or when he took me with him on his day off."

Kisame chuckled, "You're going to hate to hear this, but you willingly went with him."

The Uchiha turned to look at him, a dark scowl crossing his face, "What do you mean by that?"

"Itachi, when have you ever let someone push you around? If you wanted to, you could have stopped him, but you didn't. You care for him more than you're willing to admit."

He grunted, "Drop the subject Kisame, and take a right at the next light."

His partner didn't say anything but there were the faintest hints of a smirk on his face and he eased the car into the turn lane. The man didn't ask where they were going as he turned into a large shopping center that was somewhat empty since it was the middle of the week. Kisame parked the car in front of a store and jumped when a slip of paper was shoved under his nose. He took it and scanned the neat handwriting that flowed across the paper.

"What's this?" He asked.

"I need you to pick up those items on the list."

"You want a sunflower?"

The door slammed in response and Kisame hurriedly scrambled after him, "What are you going to be doing?"

Dark eyes scanned the store in front of him, "Just some things." He answered softly and vanished inside the store, leaving Kisame standing outside with a confused look on his face.

* * *

The store was warm as Itachi walked through the makeshift aisles and he felt his muscles relax slightly at the calming atmosphere. He came to this store for two reasons; one to think and two…well, he was trying to ignore reason two.

There was no way to argue about the truth; Kisame's words had bothered him. He knew that he could have easily pushed Naruto away when he first started to make an everyday appearance in his life, but he hadn't. Instead he had let the blond invade his days and found that he wasn't bothered by the casual talks and time spent with Naruto. He wasn't stupid, he knew what the underlying feelings he felt were, but he found it was easier to brush them off as platonic.

He didn't; couldn't care for Naruto.

Yet when Kakashi and Kisame had entertained the thought, the idea had seemed so ridiculous, but when he thought about it, things just seemed to fit. He couldn't deny that Naruto was attractive, but it was more than just the physical aspects that allowed him to keep the blond at his side. Naruto was one of the few that treated him normally and despite everything that had happened, still wanted to be around him. It was a small and naïve gesture, but one that he appreciated.

Still. He shook his head and skimmed the contents on the shelf; these new feelings were simply platonic and there was no way he was attracted to the blond. Nor did he have feelings for him.

This was exactly why he was in the bookstore, scanning the shelves for a book that was definitely  _not_  for Naruto.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, they were driving back to the center and a new book rested on Itachi's lap. He tried not to look at it, but his fingers still curled around it, almost as if they were trying to prevent it from leaving. When he had first entered the store, it was to buy a book and in the back of his mind, he had wanted to get one for Naruto. Not for himself, but for Naruto. However, he pushed the thought aside after much thinking and proceeded to the business section to scope out the titles there. And low and behold; here the book sat.

The mind is easy to convince, but the heart cannot be so easily swayed.

He had left the store with one book in hand and it wasn't a business one. Instead, it was a book called ' _The Amulet of Samarkand'_  (1), and it was one that he wouldn't read, but he knew Naruto would. He wanted to groan; what happened to his steeled resolution  _not_  to buy a book for the blond? He had to chuckle at himself though; his time spent looking at books for himself was short, five minutes at best before he found himself drifting away towards another section.

What was supposed to be a calming day had turned around to give him a headache due to all the thinking on his part. And he was still confused about where everything stood; and he didn't like to be confused.

Kisame hadn't questioned him on the subject of his list either and now two sunflowers were sitting in between his feet. There were other bags in the backseat of the car, but they were just simple things like the sweets he had been craving. The older man didn't say anything when he handed him the bags, but there had been a twitch in the corner of his mouth before he turned around to watch the cars drive by.

They were silent as they drove back to the center but Itachi could see Kisame shooting glances at the flowers that sat in between his feet. He ignored the man and watched as the familiar fences came into view and the bricked building loomed in the distance. Kisame slowed the car down as they passed through the gates and came to a stop outside the entrance of the building. As they climbed out of the car, they heard laughter and Itachi recognized the sound instantly.

His eyes traveled towards the laughter and he quickly spotted a blond head of hair playing with another younger male. Kisame leaned against the car and the bags were momentarily forgotten as he watched the emotions flicker through Itachi's eyes. A small smirk crept on his face as his gaze settled on the blond male but he didn't say anything. He waited until Itachi turned away from the blond and noticed the small smile on his face.

"What?"

"The blond is a ball of sunshine." He said and flashed him a grin, "I'm glad he's friends with you."

Itachi's eyebrow rose, "I didn't say-"

"You didn't need to." Kisame answered and slid back into the car, "I'll be seeing you boss."

The car door slammed shut before Itachi could say anything and he watched as the older man drove away. A scowl spread across his face as the car vanished onto the road and he made a mental note to torture Kisame at work when he returned. He turned to go back inside the center, pausing only to watch Naruto for a while or, at least until his fingers grew numb.

He made his way to his room and deposited his bags on the bed while he tucked the book away. His gaze drifted towards the single flower that sat alone in his room and he carefully placed the two new ones in the vase. Outside he could hear the laughter coming from Naruto's mouth, along with a loud shout and he drifted to the window to watch the scene outside. He had never seen the younger child before and wondered if he was in a different section of the ward.

Whoever he was, it was obvious that he was good friends with Naruto. The blond had let the child climb on his back and wrap his arms around his neck, despite the bruising apparent there. There was a series of short honks from the side of the yard and Itachi watched as a small car parked next to the brown grass.

Naruto walked over to the car with the child still on his back and Itachi squirmed when the kid rested his chin on the blond head. He knew he should move away from the window and stop watching the blond, but his body didn't seem to want to move. Instead, it forced him to watch as two more younger children piled out of the car and attacked Naruto. An older male exited the car and they shook hands briefly before he made a gesture unseen by the children.

He couldn't read lips, but he knew what the question was and he scowled lightly. Itachi watched as Naruto shook his head and waved the question aside before submitting to the needs of the children on the ground. The only girl in the group launched herself at the blond and placed a wet kiss on his cheek; Itachi turned away from the window.

* * *

"I've got myself a lovely bunch of coconuts." Naruto sang softly as he walked down the hallway. He mentally cursed Konohamaru for getting the song stuck in his head and tried to think of something else to sing. Maybe when he went back to his room he would listen to the new music he had bought during visiting day.

Speaking of that.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and wondered how Itachi's day away was. The blond had seen the older male walking through the lobby when he left his appointment with Tsunade and he knew where he was going. It had taken a lot of begging on his part, but he had finally convinced the doctor to call Itachi's partner so Itachi could have a better day off. He wasn't too sure how much Itachi had enjoyed himself in his friends company.

Naruto hummed to himself as he turned around the corner; if it accounted for anything, he had had a good day. He stopped in front of Itachi's open door and arched an eyebrow; something was off in the room; besides Itachi.

"What are you doing?"

The blond jumped and quickly turned around to see Itachi looking down at him with an amused look in his eyes. "Give me warning next time you're going to scare me."

He grunted and moved into the dimly lit room, "Why are you standing outside my room?"

"I saw you bought more sunflowers; you didn't kill yours did you?"

Itachi chuckled, "No. Mine was getting lonely."

"Lonely huh?" Naruto crossed into the rooms' threshold, "Did you name said lonely flower?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the question and moved to stand next to Naruto. They inspected the flower in silence until the blond spoke again, "You know, I knew a guy once who had a cactus and named it."

"I'm not naming my flowers."

Naruto grinned, "Good. 'Cause that would be weird." He glanced at Itachi, "So this was how you spent your day away; you bought flowers?"

"Amidst other things." Itachi answered. "What did you do today?"

"I talked with Kakashi and he wants to have another hour in our sessions; something about preventing trauma." Naruto sighed, "I keep telling them I'm fine, but they won't listen."

Itachi's eyes traveled to the dark marks that marred Naruto's neck and he flinched slightly when the blond rubbed his neck subconsciously. He wondered who this was harder on, him or Naruto. His hands reached out to gently trail over the tanned column and he heard the younger male suck in a quick breath, but otherwise didn't move. The skin was warm under his cold fingers as he traced the marks he had made.

"You shouldn't have let that child hang on your neck." He murmured.

Naruto didn't answer, but instead stayed still and hummed in agreement, as if in a trance as Itachi continued to lightly touch the skin, bringing goose bumps to the surface. The noise vibrated under Itachi's fingers and his eyes flickered to the blonds face to gauge his reaction. Blue eyes were hidden under half-mast eyelids and his lower lip was caught between his teeth while a faint red tint covered his cheeks. He felt himself leaning forward, wondering what it would like to press his lips to the bruised neck; to kiss away the marks.

His hands paused and his eyes widened at the thought. Naruto's eyes fluttered open and they were slightly unfocused. "Wha?"

Itachi slowly pulled his hand away, "You really should just push me away."

Blue eyes darkened, "No." His hand stretched out and Itachi flinched at the expected touch, but it never came. Instead, Naruto leaned over to pick up the sunflower in the vase of water and twisted the stem in his fingers. "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain." (2)

"Frank Herbert?"

A small smile slipped across Naruto's face, "Yeah, I haven't read  _Dune_  yet, but I heard it was an amazing book." He set the flower back into the water and his eyes flickered towards Itachi, "I'd rinse out the vase with some soapy water before you put the others in. You've let some scum build up at the bottom."

His head dipped briefly, before he turned for the door. The shutting of the door was loud in the silent room and Itachi was reminded of the coffee cup that sat on his desk, which Kisame had so kindly gotten him on Bosses Day.

' _The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear.'_  (3)

Kisame had given it to him as a gag gift, in hopes that it would tone down the death glares that he was known for. He wasn't too sure if it had worked, seeing as several of his employees were still afraid to approach him at times.

He wasn't sure why the blonds' departure was affecting him; the feelings were supposed to be platonic. But seeing Naruto leave and him not doing anything to stop it settled uncomfortably in his stomach. Watching him leave was like he let him walk out of his life and not knowing if he was coming back. Itachi shook his head. Of course he was coming back; Naruto was the one thing that was a constant in his life right now.

Besides, the feelings were platonic and nothing more.

But despite that constant mantra that he chanted in his mind, he couldn't help but feel as if he was making a mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. First book in the Bartimaeus Trilogy, written by Jonathan Stroud
> 
> 2\. Quote comes from Frank Herbert's novel Dune
> 
> 3\. Quote from H.P. Lovecraft


	9. The Underlying Principle

Turned out that Naruto didn't come back the next day.

Or the day after that, or the next few days.

It wasn't as if it bothered Itachi though, the feelings were supposed to be platonic and nothing more. So it meant that he wasn't loosing any sleep over the matter or stalking the library for the blond either. Nor was he counting the days since he last saw Naruto.

Yeah, that last part was a nice lie he kept telling himself.

It had been a week since he had last seen Naruto and he was constantly being monitored for any changes in sleeping behavior. Itachi found the action annoying and tried to block out the notion of the whole mater, but talking to Kakashi almost everyday had gotten under his skin. It seemed that Kakashi knew something was wrong and would always ask him what was missing in his life to make him act anxious. By the end of the week, both he and the doctor were at their wit's end.

Itachi hadn't relapsed once, nor had he progressed in giving Kakashi any information. The silver haired doctor was easily growing frustrated as each day passed. He had suggested many ideas of what had caused the relapse, but none seemed to work. At first, they thought it might have to do with the stress from work, but after focusing on an exceptionally hard case, the idea was tossed aside. Kakashi was hesitant to suggest anything else in fear of upsetting Itachi, due to the lack of information that was coming across.

Things hadn't helped either, when during the middle of the week; Itachi found that he couldn't sleep as well as he normally did. Kakashi had noticed the patterns of unease during the night and suggested that he relax from work in hopes that it would allow Itachi to catch up on sleep again. The Uchiha had reluctantly agreed and he found himself reading the book that Naruto had given him during Visiting Day. However, reading the book had reminded him of the blond and if anything, it made sleeping harder.

Despite all this, Itachi was still adamant to admit that he was bringing this upon himself. In an attempt to prove to himself that his feelings were nothing outside of friendly, he didn't seek the blond out. He knew that Naruto somehow always found him, so there was no reason to go looking for Naruto. Instead, he curled up in his room and read the book, all the while convincing himself that everything was all right.

For a brief moment, he had entertained the thought that Naruto might have left the center for some reason. Fear raced through his body at the idea and he forced himself to calm down; the blond would have come in and said goodbye before leaving. But if he hadn't left, then where hell was he hiding?

Itachi had seen him once or twice in the earlier parts of the week, but after that, it was as if he had vanished from the face of the Earth.

So now, he sat in a chair in front of Kakashi's desk, waiting for the late doctor to show. For some reason or another, Kakashi had been showing up extremely late to these meetings and it was one of the reasons why Itachi's patience had been running thin. He wasn't always a patient man and he hated to be kept waiting when it came to meetings. Chalk it up to the business background. Outside the office, he could hear laughter coming from a small group of people, but he didn't recognize any of them.

The door opened and Kakashi finally swept in and Itachi's eyes narrowed at the man. "You're late, again."

"Sorry, I've been hanging around a little blond all week and I keep forgetting the time. Not to mention another doctor keeps distracting me."

Itachi's nose wrinkled in distaste at the pathetic attempt at an excuse, but he still questioned it, "Little blond, you mean Naruto?"

"Yup."

"I haven't seen him all week."

Kakashi looked at him, "Really? He's been here the whole time." A small chuckle escaped his mouth, "He normally hunts you down; is it the other way around this time?"

Itachi didn't answer but instead pondered the doctors' words. If Naruto had been here for the entire week, why hadn't he seen him? Kakashi was right, Naruto usually hunted him down; it was never the other way around. Which was why he didn't go in search for the blond.

"Did you two get into a fight?" Kakashi asked, keeping the last part of the sentence on the tip of his tongue, ' _like a lover's spat'_. He looked Itachi over warily, noting the carefully guarded face that had seemed to reappear over the past week and he wondered the reason behind it's sudden appearance. "Or maybe he is just giving you some alone time. He is very good at telling when people need space; something he acquired from his father. If you gave him the impression that you wanted him to leave, he'll give you the space."

' _You really should just push me away.'_

Itachi frowned, was that really the reason behind the blonds' disappearing act? He pulled himself from his thoughts since Kakashi had started to talk again and he realized that he had missed the first part.

"…we're going to lessen your probation in hopes that you'll sleep better at night, but you will still be monitored occasionally. I suggested that we stop having these once a day sessions since they seem to annoy you and it could be a reason for your lack of sleep. So I'll call him and we'll see you in about two days, hopefully this will give us a reaction we want."

Itachi nodded absentmindedly; he didn't bother to ask what Kakashi had said earlier. The only thing he knew was that he had made a mistake and he needed to fix it. If Naruto took his comment to heart, then he was staying away from him, as he asked him to.

It was ironic, Itachi had been trying to keep the blond from advancing any further and now that he was gone, he wanted him back in his life. He left the office and wondered back to his room in a daze. Was it what he really wanted though? He had asked Naruto to stay away so he didn't hurt him anymore and now the Uzumaki was staying away. It hurt him to know that he had pushed Naruto away and it was his persistence that kept the blond away.

He walked into his room and looked around the small enclosure. Behind his bed was the book he had tucked away for Naruto a week ago. He had figured that the blond would stop by and he could give it to him then, but seeing as Naruto hadn't shown, he was going to have to find him in order to give it to him. But he was going to find the younger male for other reasons besides giving him the book. Just yesterday, Itachi had finished his own book and he wanted to find out Naruto's opinion on the plot.

Itachi shut the door behind him and made his way down towards the library with that thought in his mind.

* * *

The steady tapping of keys was the only thing that sounded in the library. Gaara glanced up from reading his paper after marking through a sentence and threw the pen at the blond's head. He smirked at the curse that was directed his way before grabbing another red pen from the stack next to him. It did him good to know that he was making a difference in someone's life.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at him before turning his attention back to the computer. In front of him was a nearly completed document and only one last scene needed to be written before two years of hard work were done. It had taken a while to get started at the beginning of the week, but his roommate could be scarily persuasive and in the end, he succumbed to the threats. He cautiously eyed the stack next to Gaara and groaned when he saw the amount that needed to be touched up before the afternoon was over.

However, the mere thought that he would be done by the day's end made him happy and he skimmed over the last sentence. He hadn't seen Itachi for the past week due to his procrastination and he felt bad, but at the same time, he wondered if Itachi even cared. Naruto knew that the older male didn't want him near him and he hoped that Itachi wasn't ecstatic at his absence. He frowned at the thought and pushed it aside so he could focus on the screen in front of him.

There was nothing he could do if Itachi felt that way, if Itachi continued to insist that he wanted space; then he would give it to him. Even if he wanted to keep pushing Itachi, Naruto could only push so far before he went past the line. He knew that the older male was worried but he wanted him to see that he was willing to take the risk and stand next to him.

Maybe he should try some reverse psychology; his father did that once or twice to him when he was younger and it worked wonders.

Naruto hummed in thought as he typed the next paragraph. If he wanted to do that, he would just keep ignoring Itachi, making the man seek him out. He almost laughed aloud at the idea; that would never work. There was no way the proud Uchiha would submit himself to tracking him down; he probably didn't care and was enjoying the silence. Well, no one could tell him he didn't try.

His finger turned the volume up on his music and he skimmed the page one last time before hitting the print button. After making sure the paper was sent to the printer, he sighed softly and went to work on the next one. The blond tapped his foot to the beat while his fingers flew across the keyboard, allowing the words to flow on the screen and his eyes skimmed over every letter that was entered. In his mind, it was like a carefully orchestrated dance, one that only he knew the layout to.

A shadow fell across his screen and he frowned, "Can you move, you're in my light."

The person reached forward to remove a headphone, "What if I'm here to see you?"

Blue eyes flickered up and they widened in surprise. "Itachi, what are you doing here?"

"Thanks." Itachi answered, "Am I not supposed to be here?"

Naruto shook his head, "No, that's not it. I...I just thought." He scowled and scratched his head, "Sorry, it was a standard question. I haven't seen you in a while; I take it life has been treating you well?"

A chuckle escaped Itachi's throat, "I could say the same for you. I haven't seen you all week, where have you been?"

"Holed up in my room working; you know, the typical stuff." He cocked his head and stood up from his chair so he could get closer to Itachi, "Have you been sleeping well?"

Itachi shook his head, "Not exactly; I've been having trouble falling asleep. Kakashi suggested that I take a break from working, so I finished the book you got me." His lips curled slightly when Naruto grinned at the statement. He leaned against the countertop once the blond sat back down again and he was surprised at how easily he could fall into a conversation with him.

The blond removed his other headphone and saved his work, "I hope you enjoyed it; it seemed like something you would like."

"It was interesting, I enjoyed it." Itachi said and brought his arm up. He set the book on the surface and pushed it towards Naruto, "This is for you; I picked it up last week."

Azure eyes lit up at the sight of the book and he reached forward to pick it up, only to stop when a pen bounced off his head. "Ow!"

"You don't have time to be reading or talking right now Naruto."

Naruto pointed at the book, "But, but, but…" He pouted, "Please!"

Gaara grunted and fingered another pen, "No. You can read it when you are done. If you don't finish it by tonight, I'll make sure you can't read your book for a week."

"Slave driver." He muttered.

An evil smile slipped across the redhead's face and the undertone of 'get back to work' was clear. Naruto scowled at him and looked back at the computer before realizing that Itachi was giving him a strange look. He glanced back up at the older male and laughed, "It's a long story. But let's just say that procrastination is a bad thing, especially when you have a crazy roommate who likes to make sure you meet your deadline."

Gaara threw another pen and Itachi reached out reflexively to catch it. Naruto peeked an eye open and noticed the pen in Itachi's clenched hand.

"Ha, I have a pen catcher and you don't!" He exclaimed and pointed a finger at the redhead.

"Well, if you didn't put off your work for a month, we wouldn't be in this mess." Gaara stated.

Naruto reached around his chair and grabbed the top book from his stack of research books. A grin stretched across his face as he chunked it at the redhead, "I had writers block and I was working on research!"

Gaara ducked his head to the right, allowing the book to fly by harmlessly. He glanced up at the blond whose eyes darted to Itachi and then back to him. "I don't think Itachi is a book catcher. But for your sake, I guess I can give you a break."

"You're awesome Gaara." Naruto exclaimed as he shut his laptop. He darted around to other side of the desk before plopping down in a chair while Itachi took the sofa on the other side of the table.

The redhead didn't say anything as he went back to work on the papers in front of him. It was nice to see Naruto so excited again and he knew the source behind it. People often had emotional affects on others without realizing it. Naruto hadn't realized it yet, but he was more cheerful and carefree when he was around the older Uchiha.

But Gaara wouldn't tell him that; something's were best left unsaid and he was certain that his blond roommate knew about the underlying feelings.

Naruto's eyes skimmed the back of the book, pausing only to glance up at Gaara; he had a feeling that the redhead was planning something. He brushed it aside and looked at the book again as the feeling of excitement raced through his body. It wasn't just the fact that he had received a new book, but the fact that Itachi had picked it up for him made him smile.

"You don't have that one do you?"

He glanced up to see Itachi looking at him cautiously and he shook his head, "No, this is one that I haven't read yet. Thank you."

A small smile slipped across the Uchiha's face and he ruffled Naruto's hair, "Your welcome. Now, do you want to tell me why I haven't seen you for a week?"

"Ah, that. Well, I've been working on something for two years and after being stuck at a writers block for a month, I can finally finish. Gaara has been making sure that I don't distract myself."

Itachi nodded. That would explain why he only saw little snippets of blond running up and down the hallway. He let out a sigh of relief when he realized that Naruto hadn't planned on staying away like he had asked. Although he had told himself that he wasn't going to lower himself to looking for Naruto, he had broken and went anyway.

Perhaps he should take Kisame's advice for once. He knew that his partner knew him best and could see through any carefully constructed lie, but it didn't mean that he could always help him. It may have taken him a while to accept what was going on but looking over Naruto once again, he knew he could live with himself if accepted his own feelings.

He had his loving father to thank for all the years that he never looked at another person; not that any would have satisfied him. Yet, he wasn't going to overlook it anymore. There was no denying the truth that he was much calmer around Naruto and he was someone that he didn't mind spending time with. Still, it was too soon to call anything love, but his intentions were more than just lust based.

Although, given time, that would come as well.

"Why are you smirking?"

Naruto's voice brought his mind back to the present and he focused on the smaller male. He shook his head and decided to shift the subject, "So, what are you writing?"

The young blond squirmed in his seat and wrinkled his nose as a small blush settled across his cheeks. "Nothing."

Itachi reached forward and gently caressed the tinted cheeks, "This says otherwise." He chuckled, "You don't want to tell me?"

Naruto quickly shook his head, "You'll laugh." He stated like a young child until Itachi told him he wouldn't. "F-fine… I want to be an author like my godfather."

"Thankfully he doesn't want to write the books his godfather writes." Gaara spoke up from the corner. "Let's just hope he inherited a decent writing gene and stays away from the perverted one."

"Hey! Don't compare me to that pervert!" Naruto shouted as he turned around in his chair and Itachi's hand dropped from his face, "Jiraiya writes that crap, not me."

The smile gave away Gaara's amusement, "But he had you proofread his works more than once."

The blush was back in full force and Naruto buried his head into his arms. "Perverted old man is going to keep me from getting my book published."

Gaara sighed, "That's why I'm re-reading your work. If your manuscript is due tonight, then it needs to be perfect."

"Tonight?" Itachi questioned, "Aren't you still working on it."

Naruto laughed and brought up his head, "All authors cut their deadline close. I should know; I've seen Jiraiya's agent chase him around the house before; demanding to have the next chapter or else he was going to cut his research funding." He stood up from the chair, "I guess that means I should get back to work."

He moved past Itachi and yelped when a hand snaked around his waist and pulled him down. He landed on something soft and glanced up into amused dark eyes. Itachi's head dipped close to his ear and he shivered as a puff of warm breath traveled over the sensitive skin, "Do I get a copy to read?"

"N-no." He stuttered.

Itachi's head moved further along his skin until his mouth stopped next to Naruto's neck where the bruises had almost vanished. They had faded into a soft yellow color and unless one was really looking, were otherwise nonexistent. His mouth hovered over one of the spots and he gently pressed his lips to the skin, waiting for a negative reaction. Getting none, he moved to a different spot closer to the jaw line and asked, "Why?"

Naruto squirmed slightly so his body fell into a more comfortable position across Itachi's lap and he felt his face heat up, "'Cause it's embarrassing." He paused when Itachi moved away from his neck and glanced up with a questioning look in his eyes, "Not that I find you embarrassing or anything, it's just that it's for young adults and you might not like it."

Itachi hummed against his neck, "What if I want to read it?"

The younger male was silent and glanced up when a shadow fell over him, "If you two are going to play '20 questions', at least work while you do so." Gaara stated and set the laptop on Naruto's lap. "I'm going to need the other page soon."

Naruto nodded and went to get up from Itachi's lap but Itachi held him down, "Stay."

It wasn't a command, more like a gentle suggestion but it brought a red tint to Naruto's cheeks as he glanced up. Itachi looked back down at him and carefully guarded his face; he knew that the blond hadn't pushed him away yet and he took that as a sign that it didn't bother him. His arm stayed draped over Naruto's chest, although it could easily be pushed off if he was feeling uncomfortable. However, Naruto stayed still under his arms and his face showed more curiosity than fear.

Finally, he could see a decision being made in the blue eyes before Naruto carefully pushed his arm aside and stood up. He tried to ignore the pain that stabbed at him and instead focused on the blond male as he moved around the small sitting area. Naruto seemed to be looking for something and before Itachi could figure out what it was, a pillow hit him in the face. He yanked the pillow angrily from his face and went to snap at the blond, only to realize that he was sitting back down on the couch again.

Itachi blinked as he watched Naruto plug the cord into the computer before turning towards him. "If I'm going to stay, I'll have to type. Otherwise Gaara will kill me in a storm of angry red pens." He stated and leaned back into the cushions, "If you're going to keep us company, I have a feeling you'll fall asleep."

Itachi grunted before propping his feet up on the coffee table and slid down further on the sofa. It seemed that Naruto didn't understand what he meant by stay. He reached across the small space and dragged Naruto down into his lap again.

Naruto scowled at him and for a second Itachi feared that he had crossed the line, but the blond simply grabbed the pillow that had slid to the floor. His blue eyes swam with mischief and he placed the pillow behind his head so he could see the screen better. "If you're not going to take the offered pillow, then I will. Don't complain to me when you get a kink in your neck when you fall asleep." He said as he brought his knees up and adjusted the screen.

Itachi chuckled and leaned his head back against the top of the sofa while his hand rested on Naruto's head. His arm was still draped across the blonds' chest and it rose with every breath he took. The steady motion of the rise and fall of his chest along with the warmth of Naruto's body put him at ease and he found his eyelids slowly closing. During the past week, he hadn't slept much and it was finally catching up to him.

He listened to the gentle tapping coming from the keyboard and he unconsciously threaded his fingers through the blond locks as his own breathing started to even out. It didn't take much to convince his body to drop into a light sleep and he missed Naruto glancing up at him with a small smile across his face. He carefully shifted his weighted so he sunk in closer to the warmth and pulled his eyes away from the sleeping Uchiha.

"Naruto, your godfather called…oh."

A single eye opened at the voice before both eyes opened to stare at Kakashi. The doctor was giving them an unusual look and his face looked oddly tense but it could have been because of the stress from the past week. He felt Naruto shift on his lap and he glanced down to see the blond twist his head around to look at the silver haired doctor.

"What's up Kakashi?"

"Ah, your godfather called and said he'll be here in four hours at most."

Naruto nodded, "I should be done by the time he gets here. Thanks Kakashi."

The doctor nodded and gave the pair one last look before leaving the library. Once he left, Naruto sighed and shifted back to his original position. His eyes flickered to the right as Gaara stood up, walked over to him, and set a small stack of papers on the floor next to him. A groan escaped his lips at the red marks on the paper and his roommate grinned.

"There aren't that many mistakes to correct; that's your editors' job. But just scan through the papers and look at the suggestions. How many more pages do you have?"

Naruto skimmed over the screen, "About ten."

Gaara nodded, "I'm going to go raid the cafeteria for something to drink; you want anything?"

"Nah, I'm going to finish this real quick; I'm on a roll." He said and his roommate simply inclined his head before leaving the library.

The blond continued typing and Itachi watched as fingers flew over the keyboard. He wanted to read what was on the screen, but the angle that it sat at made it hard to see what was written. Instead, he was content to listening to the clicking of the keys that usually annoyed him. This time, Itachi found it more humorous because Naruto was oddly vocal and animated when he wrote. He would often wrinkle his nose at a sentence he didn't like before he deleted it and a 'tsk' sounded from his mouth when he hit a wrong key.

He watched as Naruto furrowed his brows and sucked on his lower lip while he thought about a sentence structure. Itachi chuckled softly at the face and the thought that it looked cute briefly crossed his mind. He brought his hand up and smoothed out the wrinkle in the blond's forehead. Naruto glanced up at him and cocked his head curiously.

"You'll get wrinkles if you do that constantly." He answered.

Naruto snorted with laughter, "But you do it all the time." Itachi frowned and Naruto lifted his hand up to poke at his forehead, "You're doing it now."

"Hn."

The blond laughed to himself before turning his attention back to the computer. He was almost done with the last page and he wanted it done. Thankfully, he had always known how the ending was going to turn out and it didn't take long to write. Excitement raced through his veins as the last sentence was typed and he hit the save button.

A sigh escaped his mouth and he leaned back further into the pillow. He was almost done after two years of hard work; the only thing left was to look over the suggestions that Gaara made for him and then reprint the story before Jiraiya showed up at the center. Naruto reached down for the papers and shuffled through them, reading the remarks that his roommate had left for him. They were simple and easy mistakes to correct and he cursed himself for not noticing them earlier.

He felt Itachi reposition his arm before the older male closed his eyes again. Naruto dropped his gaze from the Uchiha and back to his computer; if he started now, he could finish with the corrections before Gaara came back. However, after shifting through half of the papers, he felt his own eyelids start to drop and the desire to take a quick nap was getting stronger. He couldn't help it even if he wanted; the heat that Itachi was emitting was making him sleepy.

A short nap wouldn't hurt.

* * *

When Gaara came back from the cafeteria, he frowned at the silence that had settled over the library. He didn't hear any tapping noise coming from Naruto's computer and he had run out of pens to throw. Although, with the Uchiha sitting with him, he was slightly hesitant to throw one in case it missed and hit him instead. That was the last thing he wanted to do.

He padded over to the small couch and shook his head. Of course, Naruto would end up falling asleep; he felt bad for whoever was assigned as his agent. At least he wouldn't be as bad as Jiraiya.

The redhead reached down to pick up the laptop and bobbed his head when he realized that Naruto had finished the story at least before falling asleep. He set the device on the table so it wouldn't slip from the blonds lap and hit the print button. One good thing about being Naruto's unofficial editor was that he could read the entire book before anyone else and he rather enjoyed that little detail. After grabbing the papers from the printer, he retreated to his corner to read.

He would tease Naruto later for falling asleep on Itachi's lap.

* * *

"Well that's a cute sight. Maybe I should take a picture for Kushina, she'll be glad to know that Naruto's doing well. Although I should have known that the kid would be a cuddler, his dad was one too. It must past down through the blond side of the family."

"How do you know Minato was a cuddler?"

A chuckle echoed around the room, "Kushina often holds it over his head."

"Ah."

"You seem tired Kakashi, long shifts getting to you?"

Kakashi grunted, "That, amidst other things." There was a short pause, "I was worried on how the stress of writing again would be for him; that, coupled with the incident last week."

"Who? The brat? You don't need to be protective of him; boys will be boys."

Silence settled over them before Kakashi walked closer to the sofa and gently shook Naruto's shoulder, "Come on Naruto, you need to wake up, Jiraiya's here."

Naruto moaned in his sleep and curled up further on his side while burrowing his face into the warmth. He was warm and his body felt drowsy; all he wanted to do was stay next to his newfound heat source. His hands clutched at the fabric as he tried to ignore the shaking sensation that was attacking his body; it was getting annoying.

"Naruto…"

"No."

Kakashi sighed and looked up at Itachi who was watching him with an amused look in his eyes. He had woken up when the doctor had started to shake Naruto awake and he found the blonds' antics endearing. "Itachi…" Kakashi's voice sounded strained.

Itachi shrugged, "I really can't move." He stated, not that he wanted to move anyway. Somewhere during their nap, Naruto had curled up on his side and somehow moved closer to his body while his hands found purchase on Itachi's shirt. He shifted slightly so his arm brought the smaller body closer to his body and he smirked when the blond mumbled his name.

Seeing Kakashi narrow his eyes at him, Itachi finally conceded and shifted Naruto higher so his head rested on his shoulder and the blond straddled his lap. He dropped his head so it was closer to the blonds' ear and pressed his mouth close to the side of his face. "Naruto, it's time to wake up."

"Don't wanna." He answered sleepily.

"I think your godfather is here and once he leaves, you can read your new book." Itachi paused, "Plus, he's holding a camera."

Naruto's eyes shot open and he pushed away from Itachi once he realized how close they were. He felt Itachi's arms tightened around his waist and arm to keep him from toppling over and he placed his hands on Itachi's chest in order to steady himself. Behind them, Jiraiya snickered, and Naruto felt his face heat up.

"Well, if that isn't a suggestive pose, I don't know what is."

"Sh-shut up, you perverted old man." Naruto shouted.

Jiraiya leered at him, "But I'm the perverted old man that has connections. I have a friend in the publishing company who specializes in young adult books and he was very interested in the sample chapters you sent him. Your roommate gave me your manuscript and said it was complete."

Naruto smiled softly and he reminded himself to thank Gaara when he went back to his room.

"Jiraiya, how's Minato doing?" Kakashi asked and Naruto quietly waited for an answer; he hadn't heard from his father in a while.

"He's doing well and he sends his love to Naruto along with a reminder that he should call more often. I've gotten him to read one of my stories since my other unofficial editor has vanished on me."

The blonds' mouth dropped, "You're making my dad read your perverted books!"

"If I may point out, you are the one who has yet to move from that position."

Naruto's head whipped back towards Itachi and realized that Itachi was still holding his arm and his hands were still pressed against the Uchiha's chest. He rolled off Itachi's lap and pointed at Jiraiya,"Don't change the subject and leave my father out of your nasty books."

The white haired male shrugged, "Fine, I have other things to do. I need to get this to the company; hopefully this will put the pressure off me for a new chapter. I'll give you a call in a few days to update you on what's going on." He moved closer to the couch and ruffled Naruto's hair, "I'll see you later kid and I'll tell your father your doing okay."

"Jerk." He muttered as his godfather swept out of the room.

"Naruto, if you fell asleep already, you should probably get to bed early tonight; the same goes for you too Itachi." Kakashi said

"But I'm not tired." The blond answered as he tried to stifle a yawn.

Itachi chuckled as he stood up from the couch and pulled the blond up. "I'm sure once you get into your own bed, you'll fall back asleep."

The younger male scowled at the comment but followed Itachi to the door nonetheless. Itachi glanced back as Kakashi locked the door behind them and went his separate way, leaving the two of them alone in the hallway. It was quiet since it was still early but Naruto was trying to hide another yawn behind his hand and even Itachi admitted to himself that a few more hours of sleep would've been nice. When they reached Naruto's room, Gaara was sitting on the bed waiting for them and a small, knowing grin crept across his face.

Naruto scowled but didn't say anything, knowing it would only cause more trouble. He went to walk into his room but was stopped when Itachi wrapped his arms around his waist, "I still want to read your story."

"Maybe." He muttered as Itachi pressed his lips against his temple.

A pen bounced off his forehead making Naruto jerk his head away from Itachi's mouth and he rubbed the red spot, "What was that for?" He snapped.

"For making  _me_  finish up  _your_  story." Gaara answered, "Now go shower, you look like you're about to pass out."

Naruto nodded his head tiredly, there was no point in arguing with his roommate and the bed was looking really comfortable right now. He turned to Itachi and inclined his head slightly, "Thanks again for the book Itachi, and I hope you sleep better tonight."

Itachi hummed softly, "You too." He nodded to Gaara and headed for his room, all the while cursing the redhead for interrupting him.


	10. Protection Comes in Many Forms

The square board sat innocently on the table's surface while two sets of eyes glared down at it with fierce determination. Small white tiles with black lettering littered the board and they unknowingly were the cause of the intense battle between the two figures.

"Zephyr; z-e-p-h-y-r."

"That's not a word."

"Is too; it's a gentle breeze."

Itachi snorted and looked over the tiles that were neatly arranged on the tray in front of him. All he needed was a single tile to make the word he wanted and he needed it soon. His hand reached into the small bag and his fingers curled around the tile before drawing it out. A smirk crossed his face as his eyes skimmed over the letter and he started laying his tiles down.

"X-e-n-o-p-h-i-l-e; xenophile, an attraction to foreign people, styles or manners." He said, "Not to be confused with pedophile."

Naruto snickered and rearranged his tiles again. He knew that playing this game with Itachi would be challenging, but he refused to let the older male get the best of him. The blond had a secret weapon up his sleeve and all he needed to do now was execute it. His hand reached forward, but it stopped as a pale arm reached over his and grabbed a tile.

"A-u-r-e-a-t-e, aureate."

The blond tilted his head back so he could see who was standing behind him. He didn't recognize the voice and he had never heard of the word either. Even though the man was upside down, he was still able to take in the features. Black hair draped over pale shoulders and lightly colored eyes that seemed almost yellow stared back at him.

"Hi?"

A familiar chuckle sounded and Naruto poked his head around the man and his eyebrows rose, "What's up Jiraiya?"

The white haired man came closer and examined the board on the table before looking back at the blond, "Naruto, this is Orochimaru, he'll be your agent. He's the best agent in the company for young adult books and he really liked your first few chapters." He exclaimed.

"Oh, I see." Naruto chirped and glanced back at the board, "What was the word?"

"It's used to define a golden color." The agent exclaimed, "Often times used to portray an aureole."

"A halo." Itachi stated and his eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't like this man and he didn't like the way he looked at the young blond.

Orochimaru smiled, "And you are?"

"Itachi."

The agent looked at the board, "You're not an author that I know of, but you have an excellent grasp on the concept. However, I regret to inform you that in this game, you won't win. Most authors command a great deal of knowledge for the use of words; you would have lost in the end."

Naruto shook his head, "I don't know, Itachi was doing really well, he probably would have won."

"Regardless." Orochimaru stated, "I didn't come here to discuss board games. I came to discuss with you potential editors who would like to work with you. I have free time for lunch and your doctor already said you could leave for the day. There's a new restaurant that opened north of here called The Cheesecake Factory, I hear that their desserts are excellent."

The blond looked at Jiraiya for confirmation and at his nod, Naruto quickly bobbed his head, "Sure, I'd love to go."

He started after them, but Itachi pulled him back, "Are you sure that's a good idea?" He asked, "If they make you sign a contract without a lawyer, it could cause trouble for you later."

Naruto tilted his head back so he could see Itachi's face. He poked him in the forehead, "You're going to give yourself wrinkles." He warned and Itachi's face relaxed slightly before Naruto continued, "We won't be signing a contract today. It's just a meeting to set up an editor and pitch ideas on designs and such."

Itachi frowned, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, but when they bring in all the boring business side, I'll bring you to that lunch." He answered with a grin, "Remember, you said that you needed to keep me out of trouble."

Itachi closed his eyes and let out a sigh, "I did."

"You wouldn't be able to go with them anyway, Itachi." Kakashi stated from the side of the lobby, "I called your brother and he's on his way over now. You two are going to have lunch together."

Itachi released Naruto and watched as he trotted outside before turning his attention to the doctor, "What did you say?"

"I told you in your last meeting that I was calling your brother. One of my theories is that Sasuke triggers your sleepwalking. If you spend the day with your younger brother, we'll be able to watch you tonight and see if there are any changes in your sleeping pattern."

The Uchiha frowned in thought. He tried to remember when Kakashi had told him that he was going to call Sasuke; he was sure that he would have remembered that. His eyebrows furrowed and a small light clicked in his head. It had been that morning before the library incident; he had spaced out during the doctor's little speech and hadn't bothered to ask what he had said. He had been focused on other things.

"When will Sasuke be here?"

Kakashi smiled, "In a few minutes."

* * *

Itachi scowled as the scenery flashed by outside the car. His eyes flickered towards the passenger seat where his brother sat with a frown on his face, refusing to look at him. He knew that Sasuke was no doubt unhappy about the current situation at hand as well, and they were both doing their best to ignore each other in the small car. Itachi hated that it had come down to this, but he was slowly starting to accept that some part of Sasuke would always loath him.

A tall sign for a restaurant appeared on the side of the road and his mind took in the sign quietly before his body reacted. His foot slammed on the brake as he turned sharply into the entrance, ignoring the blaring horns from the other drivers.

"Shit Itachi, are you trying to get us killed?" Sasuke snapped.

Itachi parked in an empty slot and turned the car off, "No. This place just sounded nice."

Sasuke slammed the car door shut and glanced at the sign, "The Cheesecake Factory? I don't like sweets."

"They have other foods as well; you don't need to get a dessert." He answered as he shut the door gently and walked towards the entrance while Sasuke trailed after him.

Itachi had never been to the restaurant before, but upon entering, he realized that he would have to come here more often. He had been expecting something less tasteful but he was instantly taken in by the interior designs of the building. His eyes skimmed the room, taking in the beautiful artwork to the ornate staircase and frosted glass balcony. Despite the time and day of the week, the place was decently crowded and he wondered if they would have a long wait.

As his eyes continued to take in the different paintings and lighting that made up the interior, his gaze fell on a familiar blond head. He faltered slightly and the brief thought of stalking entered his mind, but he pushed it aside. He wasn't stalking; he was making sure that the creepy agent didn't try something.

"How many?"

His gaze was torn from the blond and he focused on the woman in front of him. There was something familiar about this female and it nagged at his memories.

"Two." He answered and his eyes fell on her nametag. Ah, that's why she looked so familiar. "Sakura, do you think you can get us a seat somewhere in that section?" He asked as he pointed to a smaller section close to the blond.

An eyebrow rose at the question but realization dawned in the green eyes "Itachi?" He nodded and she peeked around his body, "Sasuke?"

Itachi felt his brother's body stiffen, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Sakura sniffed as she picked up some menus, "Not like it's any of your business, but I was transferred here to work on the interior design. We just opened the restaurant not too long ago and I've been staying here to make sure everything runs smoothly." She glanced at Itachi, "What brings you two here? I haven't seen you since I left your company when my internship finished."

"Just brotherly bonding." He answered; ignoring Sasuke's gagging noise as they took their seats, "Thank you."

Sasuke eyed the pinkette, "You're not our waitress, are you?"

She scowled at him, "No, but I'll make sure to warn your waiter about your blatant dislike for sweets."

They watched her leave and Itachi chuckled, "She's matured."

The younger Uchiha grunted and skimmed the menu, trying to find something that sounded appetizing. He glanced up when glasses were set in front of him and their waiter poured water into the frosted stemware.

"Right, my name is Suigetsu and I'll be your waiter today." He looked at Sasuke, "And as your waiter, I feel it is my need to ask, what the hell is wrong with you? How do you not like sweets?"

Sasuke grunted, "I just don't, now go away." He waited until the man scurried away and glared at Itachi, "You're doing this to me on purpose, aren't you?"

"No." Itachi answered casually while he shot another glance over Sasuke's shoulder. He could just make out Naruto's back from where he sat and his eyes shifted towards the older male at the table. They must have just ordered since they were talking still and no food sat on the table. Itachi shook his head and focused on the menu in front of him, trying to ignore the long list of cheesecakes that were in the back of the menu; he would get one to go.

"Have you gentlemen decided what you would like to order?"

Itachi nodded and placed his order and the server looked at Sasuke with a raised eyebrow. The young Uchiha scowled at him before giving his order and shoving the menu into the man's chest. They watched him leave and Sasuke sipped at his water.

"So what made you decide to come here?"

Ebony eyes blinked and settled on his younger brother, "No reason."

"Uh huh, I see. So, is there any particular reason you keep glancing over my shoulder?" Sasuke stated and turned his head around; trying to see what had caught his brother's attention. "Isn't that…"

"No."

Sasuke turned back around, "I think it is." He stated and his fingers played with the sharp steak knife. "You know, I don't think I've seen you so interested in a random person. It's intriguing actually."

Itachi growled, "How so?"

"Well, growing up, you never once expressed an interest in anyone, even people that we knew. Yet now, you seem to be following this random blond around that you barely even know." Sasuke glanced at Itachi, "Why is that?"

"If you must know, I don't quite trust his employer, and I'd like to make sure that he doesn't try anything." He paused as his eyes flickered to the table where the blond was sitting. He was quietly eating the meal that had been delivered, nodding at whatever one of the older men had said. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

Sasuke snorted, "Is he the reason why you've stopped answering your emails and never finish your work anymore? If he is the reason the company is in a frenzy, I feel I should do something. I don't think that either of us would like to see our deceased father's company crumble because of a little blond annoyance."

Itachi narrowed his eyes and was pleased to see Sasuke shift slightly at his glare, "What I do and why I do things is none of your business, Sasuke. But if you so much as look at him the wrong way, you'll find yourself in an uncompromising place."

A smirk flashed across Sasuke's face, "I understand, but what is your interest in him then?"

Itachi paused and he was reminded of his previous lunch with Kisame. Despite what had happened a few days ago in the library, he still wasn't sure what he felt. He knew by now that it wasn't just mere attraction, but he was hesitant to call it love. His father had done well in raising him to be a strong individual, but it was only now that he realized the mistakes his father had made. Sitting here and trying to face what was raging in his mind, confused and slightly scared him.

It was something new, and even though he could adapt well to new ideas and situations, this one was something hard to accept. He was certain that his parents had loved each other, even if they didn't show it in public like others did. But he could always see the undertone glances and knowing looks that they shared when they thought no one was watching them. And in knowing that, he often wondered why his father was so obstinate on the subject.

For reasons that he couldn't explain, the thought that he was attracted to Naruto was unnerving. And it was almost laughable once he thought about it. Here, everyone thought that he could do anything that was placed in front of him, but this one thing had brought him to his knees. Not that he would ever tell anyone that. But, it was the fear that he would ruin whatever was between him and Naruto that kept him from saying anything, and he already knew that he didn't want the blond to push him away.

He couldn't help but think this was some cruel joke and his father was finding some amusement through it all; wherever he may be.

Sasuke watched the emotions race behind carefully guarded eyes and his scowl deepened. He knew why their father had raised Itachi the way he did. His brother was the eldest and the most reasonable choice to take over the company; and you always wanted your own flesh and blood to take your place. Emotions, such as love, lust and attraction were often annoying at times and would get in the way. That was the reasons for marriages between company partners.

This helped to assure that you had a future heir and helped to strengthen two companies. But while he understood all his fathers' teachings and thoughts on the idea, it seemed that Itachi had missed that part and the idea behind the new emotions was confusing him. Sasuke sipped at his water and wondered once again what Itachi's attraction to the blond was. Sure, he was nice on the eyes, but nothing else stood out about him.

If his brother was attracted by the basic instinct of lust then it would be a quick fuck with no strings attached. Both would be sated and then they could move on; it was highly unlikely they would see each other again outside the center. Still, it brought to question why the blond was at the center in the first place. Whether through lust or love, it could cause problems for the future of the company if word reached the media on how they met.

He was pulled from his thoughts when a plate of food was placed on the table and the smell made his stomach growl. Sasuke pushed the previous thoughts aside and tucked them in his mind for later; he was hungry and there was no use in letting the food go to waste now.

Lunch was quiet with the exception of their waiter occasionally stopping by to check on them. The lunch rush was starting to filter through the doors, making the noise level rise slightly, but both brothers welcomed the noise. It was used to help fill in the silence that settled between them and hid the uncomfortable atmosphere that hung in the air. Despite Sasuke's entire standoffish attitude toward Itachi, being forced to spend time with him was something they both were unused to.

"Anything else gentlemen, we have plenty of dessert in the back." Suigetsu stated when he returned to the table and directed a smug smile to Sasuke, "Unless you believe you're too good for sweets."

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort but Itachi interrupted them, "I would like the Anniversary Cheesecake to go please."

"Certainly, I'll go get that for you and I'll be back with the check in a second."

Once the man vanished, Sasuke scowled, "I don't like him, and he's as annoying as the blond. And just looking at the picture of that cheesecake makes my teeth hurt."

Itachi shrugged but didn't say anything. Instead, he let his gaze travel back to the table where Naruto was sitting at, only to find that it was empty. He sighed and let it go; there was nothing he could do anyway, the blond didn't even know that he had followed him to the restaurant. Protecting and worrying about someone often bordered with obsession and stalking and he knew when to pull back.

His cheesecake was set in front of him, packed inside a little black to go box and it was with amusement that he realized; a box sat in front of Sasuke as well. He noted the amused look in the waiters' eyes and he knew that he had something to do with the box.

"I didn't order any dessert." He snapped.

"I know, think of this as compliments from the chief. When Sakura mentioned that you didn't like sweets, the chief was determined to find something that you would like."

Sasuke's lips pulled back into a snarl, "Take it back, I don't want it."

Suigetsu shook his head, "I'm afraid I can't do that; you see, the chief is a friend of mine and it would hurt him dearly if it was returned. You know how artist types are."

"We'll take it." Itachi spoke up, "Please tell your chief that we appreciate his kind offer."

"Thank you." Suigetsu said before turning towards Sasuke, "You would do well to learn from your brother."

Itachi reached forward to calm the younger Uchiha down, but Sasuke yanked his arm out of reach. Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the waiter and he stood up quickly, making the chair slid back against the floor. Itachi groaned and ducked his head; there was a reason he tried to calm down his brother and now the only thing he could do was watch the drama unfold.

In his anger, Sasuke hadn't realized that there was a waiter behind his chair holding a tray of water. He cringed at the loud crash that echoed throughout the restaurant and slowly glanced up through his eyelashes to assess the damage. His lips quirked slightly as Sasuke stared at a spot on the table and he wondered if his brother was searching for the knife. Dripping wet, Sasuke had lost his edge to look angry, and instead looked more like a young child who had been caught in the rain.

A snort of laughter escaped the waiters' mouth but he quickly slapped a hand to his mouth to quiet his chuckles. His shoulders shook with the force of his laughter and perhaps later, Itachi would laugh as well, but he had the drive back to sit through still. Instead, he calmly stood up and directed his brother out towards the main lobby, ignoring the apologizing staff.

"Go wait by the car; I'll take care of this." He muttered and Sasuke stormed from the building.

"Mr. Uchiha, we're so sorry." Sakura stated in a formal tone, "Consider your meal on the house."

Itachi shook his head, "It was just water; Sasuke won't melt." He pulled out his wallet, "Please give this to our waiter and tell him we enjoyed his services; or at least I did."

He grabbed the bill from the silent girl and walked outside to the car. The tip had defiantly been worth watching Sasuke grow annoyed; and he didn't have to do a thing to encourage it. He found his brother already sitting in the car and staring out the window.

"We're done." Sasuke stated as he slid into the drivers side and started the car.

"I figured as much."

* * *

"Hey Naruto, look what my parents bought for me."

Naruto turned around in his seat to see Kiba walking towards him. He cocked his head at the brunette when his jacket started to wiggle and he yelped when a small white head popped out. "Is that a puppy?" He asked.

Kiba nodded, "Yup. Gaara told Tsunade about the dogs he read about and she wanted to try it out. I've searched almost every pet store around and finally found this one."

"He's cute." Naruto said as the puppy licked at his fingers. "What's his name?"

"Akamaru." Kiba stated and rubbed the puppy's head lovingly.

"Naruto, you have a visitor." Kakashi called out.

The blond grunted as he stood up from the chair and waved goodbye to Kiba. He wasn't sure who was coming to see him and his curiosity was spiked. He was waiting for Itachi to come back from his meeting with Tsunade so they could finish their game. Naruto hadn't seen Itachi yesterday after he had left for lunch and had briefly passed by him on the way to breakfast this morning. They had agreed to meet in the lobby so they could continue the game.

His mouth turned into a frown when he noticed the spiky hairstyle and the indifferent glare directed at him. "What do you want?"

The younger Uchiha shook his head, "Do you have someplace we can talk privately?"

Naruto eyed him cautiously, but moved down a hallway where small, private rooms were located. He nodded to the doctor sitting at the desk and entered one of the rooms, closing the door behind him. Once the door was shut, he leaned against the table and glared at Sasuke, waiting for him to talk.

"You know, before Itachi killed our parents, our dad would always tell us not to let emotions get in the way of work. And being the perfect child that he is, Itachi listened and did just that; he never let anyone come close to him, even friends and family were kept at an arms length." He paused, "But then he comes here and suddenly, all of that changed."

"Probably because he's relaxed a lot more." Naruto stated.

Sasuke shook his head, "No, I know why he's changed, which is the reason why I've asked to talk to you. You see, in the past few weeks, he's stopped answering his emails and hasn't finished any of the work sent to him."

"I fail to see why this affects me."

"Because it's your fault that he's not getting his work done." Sasuke snapped, "I've never seen him interested in someone before and after watching him yesterday, I realized that you have somehow caused him to deviate from his job. That said; I want to know what you're trying to accomplish."

Naruto's eyebrow rose, "I'm not too sure what you're talking about. Yesterday I was talking with an agent for my book, all I want to do is get it published."

"No, I meant my brother. What are you trying to accomplish with my brother; you seem to have him wrapped around your little finger. Yesterday we went to the same restaurant you were at because he was concerned about something. And because of that, I was humiliated in front of everyone."

The blond scowled, "That's not my fault you embarrassed yourself. Whatever you did was caused by you, not me." He hesitated, "As for Itachi…it's hard to explain. I, I'm attracted to him, and if I understand what you're saying, then you're worried he feels the same about me."

Sasuke snorted, "For a blond, you catch on quick, but it runs a little deeper than that. You see, I did some research on you and I know the reason why you're here."

Naruto's eyes widened, "How did you get a hold of that information, it's supposed to be private."

A smirk slipped across Sasuke's face, "I have my resources. Anyway, considering the reason you're here, I'm not just worried about the affect you're having on my brothers' work habits, but I hold a slight concern about our family name if the public were to find out about you."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm only going to tell you this once, Uzumaki. I want you to stay away from Itachi; he doesn't need to be seen with someone like you. I don't want you to ruin the Uchiha name because he was seen associating with a whore."

A growl escaped Naruto's throat and before Sasuke could say anything else, Naruto's fist found purchase in Sasuke's face. The younger Uchiha stumbled backwards from the blow before he found himself pressed against the wall and he glared into angry blue eyes. "What?" He taunted, "Can't take the truth, or are you scared that Itachi will find out about your little secret and look at you in disgust."

Naruto tightened his grip on Sasuke's collar, "Why don't you get all of your information straight before you accuse me of something Uchiha. I may have that condition, but that doesn't mean that I've ever raped or had sexual intercourse with someone."

Sasuke chuckled, "Big words coming from someone who recently had a relapse. If you can't control your  _disease_  inside these walls, what makes you think you'll be able to control it outside these walls? You're just the same as my brother."

"You know nothing about Itachi."

"I know enough. I heard that he relapsed as well. My information source couldn't tell me who he attacked, but I do know that he relapsed a few weeks ago. Itachi will never be free of his crimes and he will pay for the murder of my parents."

Naruto scowled, "They're his parents as well; you don't think that he's hurting too?"

Sasuke snorted, "No. I'll make sure that Itachi doesn't go free of his crimes and he will pay for what he did; even if I have to see to it myself."

"You would stoop so low as to convict your own flesh and blood for something that he couldn't control?"

"I would."

Naruto released Sasuke's collar, "You disgust me."

He shrugged, "That doesn't mean much to me, coming from you. The only thing Itachi feels for you is lust, nothing more. You'll only be good for a quick fuck before his desire is sated and you'll be cast aside; forgotten." A snort sounded from his throat, "I pity you if you thought he felt anything else for you. What do you think makes you so special compared to those who offer themselves to him daily. He could have anyone he wants, someone with a better background than you."

Naruto curled his hand into a fist and it shook with a strong desire to punch the Uchiha again but he wouldn't give Sasuke the pleasure in knowing that he was getting to him. Instead, he focused on controlling his emotions as they ran rampant through his body. "I don't believe you."

"Who do you think knows Itachi better; his brother of nineteen years, or you, whose only known him for a few months?" Sasuke asked as he made his way to the door and rested his hand on the doorknob, "I'll tell you this now so it won't hurt more in the long run; he feels no attraction to you besides lust. If there were something there, he would have said so already. There never was, nor will there ever be love for you; you were foolish to even think it in the first place."

The door shut with a resounding click and Naruto dropped to the ground as his legs gave out on him. He shook his head and he tried to ignore Sasuke's words as they wrapped around his brain. Even if they weren't true, it still hurt to have someone tell him that. He struggled to his feet and shoved his hands into to his pocket while he wondered down the hallway, trying to prevent the tears that threatened to overflow.

He didn't want to believe Sasuke, but some part of him knew that the younger Uchiha had made a decent point. Itachi ran a well-known company and if the media found out how they met, it could possibly ruin Itachi's reputation. The media would stop at nothing to figure out the reasons for why they were in the center in the first place and once that news was found out, everything could go downhill. Sometimes to protect the ones you care for, you need to push them away.

* * *

"We watched you last night and we're pleased to say that nothing happened. You slept soundly through the night and we now find ourselves back to square one." Tsunade stated and laced her fingers together as she studied the Uchiha.

"If Sasuke doesn't cause the sleepwalking then, what does?" Itachi asked.

The doctor shrugged, "We can't really say. I'd like to say it has to deal with a certain amount of stress and lack of sleep for an extended period of time, but I'm hesitant to put you under those conditions. I didn't really approve of Kakashi's idea at letting you see your brother again, but we still can't completely rule out that factor." She sighed, "The only thing we can do is watch your sleep patterns and hope for a breakthrough."

"I understand." He said.

Tsunade dismissed him and he walked back to his room. It was upsetting to know that they couldn't figure out what triggered the relapse, but he was also glad to know that his brother wasn't the main cause. He wouldn't have been entirely happy with never being able to see Sasuke again; although, he was certain his brother wouldn't mind. Itachi froze when he heard a small shuffling noise coming from inside his room.

Itachi hadn't bothered to lock his door since the meeting wasn't supposed to last long, and there wasn't much of value in his room. He poked his head into the room and an eyebrow rose when he recognized the blond figure.

"Naruto, what are you doing in my room?" He didn't miss the tensing of the blonds' body when his name was called and he stopped a few steps behind him.

"I, I'm just returning the book you gave me."

He frowned, there was no way he could have finished the book that quickly and he had bought it for the blond to keep. "Why? It's yours."

"I just…" Naruto paused and the tension in his body drained away, "What do you think of me Itachi?"

Itachi blinked at the question and moved closer to the blond so he could turn him around. Naruto jerked out of his touch but Itach quickly caught his arm and spun him around, flinching when he took in the tear streaked face. The blond quickly wiped at his eyes, trying to erase the tracks, but it was too late.

"Naruto, what happened?"

"Nothing. I was just…overwhelmed for a moment, that's all. I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

Itachi scowled, "If you think I'm going to buy that pathetic excuse, you're mistaken." He grasped the blonds' chin and forced him to look at him, "Tell me what happened."

Naruto was silent for a while and his eyes darted around the room, trying to find something to anchor himself to. Itachi's eyes followed the quick movements and tried to read the emotions that were swimming in the cerulean eyes. Fear and doubt swam on the surface and he could see the smallest hints of pain on the tan face. He released his grip on the blonds chin and led him to his bed where he pulled Naruto down onto his lap.

He called the blonds' name softly and he watched as Naruto's gaze slowly focused on his face. He watched the internal struggle and when Naruto's mouth opened slightly, he waited for the answer.

"Do you think I'm a whore?" He blurted out.

"Where would you get an idea like that?" He asked after finally shaking his mind from its stupor.

Naruto shook his head, "Never mind; I'm sorry I bothered you."

He started to stand up but winced when Itachi grasped his arm to hold him in place. "Who called you that?"

"No one." Naruto stated stubbornly, "I just thought that, given my background, you shouldn't be seen with me. You have a successful business and if people found out about my history, they could find out why you're here; I don't want to ruin that for you." A small chuckle escaped his lips, "See, this way I won't distract you from your work and it'll make everyone happy and Sas-"

Naruto's eyes widened and he clamped his mouth shut as he realized what had just slipped out of his mouth. Itachi's eyes hardened and his grip tightened, "Did Sasuke tell you all of this?"

He quickly shook his head, "No."

"Naruto." Itachi growled, "Did my brother call you that?" The blond shook his head again and tried to stand up but Itachi continued, "What else did he say?"

"Itachi, just forget it, please. All he wanted to do was talk, that's it." Naruto pleaded, "He's your brother, you can't hate him for this; he's your family."

"It still doesn't give him the right to say that." He paused, "Did he tell you to stay away from me?"

The blond was silent as he thought about the question. He desperately wanted to say yes and have Itachi tell him that he didn't need to stay away, but he thought back to his previous decision. He chuckled weakly, "No, that was my choice. You must think I'm pathetic and annoying. I keep bothering you and trying to get you to spend time with me, when all you want is peace and quiet. You probably think I'm no better than everyone else who is after you."

He didn't realize he had started crying until felt warm hands caressing his cheeks. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the gentle touch but he couldn't control the sobs that wracked at his body, "No, I'm only going to cause trouble for you, and you deserve someone with a better background than me. I'm not-"

His babbling was cut off when his body was jerked forward and he found soft lips on his own. His eyes widened in shock as a hand held his head in place while fingers threaded their way through his hair and another hand wrapped around his back, drawing him in closer. He found his eyes drifting shut as pleasure raced through his body and he started to respond to the kiss, but his eyes quickly snapped open and he pulled away.

"I can't, your company, your name…"

Itachi frowned and called the blonds name, "That's my brother speaking, not you." He pulled Naruto closer and sighed as the blond rested his head on his shoulder and his arms snaked around the younger males' waist. "I don't want you to listen to my brother, he doesn't speak for me; nor does the media control how I live my life."

"I don't understand." Naruto said softly.

Itachi tightened his grip, "I, this is something I've never done before Naruto. These feelings, the emotions that race through my body are all something new to me." Naruto pulled away from Itachi's grip and leaned back to look at the Uchiha's features while Itachi gently cupped his face, "I know what I feel for you isn't lust, it's something more, something I've never felt."

Itachi carefully ran his fingers under the blonds' eyes, wiping away the wetness that had accumulated. "Naruto, to answer your question from earlier; do you think I'm a murderer?"

The younger male quickly shook his head, "No, you're not a murderer Itachi. You shouldn't listen to you brother; you couldn't control that night,"

A hum sounded from Itachi's throat, "Exactly. You're not what he called you Naruto, and don't ever let him or anyone else tell you that you are."

Itachi watched as Naruto's eyes vanished behind his eyelids and he dropped his hands from the blonds' face. It wasn't his choice to make him stay if he felt that he was only going to be a burden, the choice to stay or leave was the Uzumaki's to make. He watched as Naruto slowly opened his eyes and blinked twice to clear his vision, "Who would have thought that the little emotions you normally take for granted would be the one thing to make you stumble."

Itachi smirked, "Then you'll just have to help me understand."

"I think I can do that." Naruto answered and leaned in closer to Itachi. The older male met him halfway and was quick to draw the smaller body closer to his own as their lips pressed together. His body shivered in delight at the heat that pressed through the thin material of their clothing and Naruto gasped when Itachi slipped his hand under his shirt and trailed his fingers up his spine. Itachi groaned as the blond pushed closer to his body and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into the blonds' mouth.

It wasn't something that he had done himself, but he wasn't completely clueless on the subject and he found it oddly pleasing. His tongue mapped out Naruto's mouth, running over the blonds' teeth before gently stroking the wet muscle, coaxing it to join his. After a moment's hesitation, he felt Naruto join him and he shivered at the pleasure that raced through his body.

They broke apart for air and Itachi lazily trailed kisses along the tan jaw line before he started to suck on the skin on his neck. He listened to the small noises that escaped Naruto's mouth and smirked against the skin before the blond pushed his head away. He was about to question the action, but hissed as Naruto nipped at his own neck before kissing the abused skin. His arms found their way around the blonds' body and he heard Naruto chuckled next to his ear.

"You followed me to the restaurant?"

Itachi scoffed, "I didn't, and still don't trust your agent. But I did get some excellent cheesecake out of the whole thing."

He felt Naruto hum in agreement, "We'll have to go there again then."

A grunt escaped his throat; they should probably wait to go back, considering the mess Sasuke made the previous day. He tightened his grip at the thought of his brother and a scowl formed on his face; he still needed to deal with that little problem. But as he felt Naruto shift against him, Itachi buried his nose into the golden locks and he tucked the thought aside for the moment. He could have Kisame take care of Sasuke for him for now; he would deal with his brother's ignorance later, when he least expected it.

For now, he was content to sit and enjoy the new emotions that ran through his body and the warmth of the younger males' body.


	11. Six Degrees of Separation

Naruto swung his feet back and forth, as he sat in a chair outside Tsunade's office. He focused on trying to make his feet circle in opposite directions without thinking too much on the subject. Yesterday he had read an article about individuals who could concentrate on simple tasks while performing another, more demanding task.

His eyes darted down to his feet as they spun in circles while he tried to count backwards from a hundred in intervals of seven. Apparently, the body also performed better in stressful situations, and he was trying to think of stressful conditions to help him succeed at the task at hand. He chewed on his lower lip as he stared at the wall across from him and missed the strange look that Shizune shot him as she darted into the office.

The slamming of the door distracted him and he jerked his head in the direction of the noise. The blond didn't remember Tsunade calling him into her office and he wondered if he had been too focused. He knocked on the door and the brunette aide poked her head out of the room.

"Yes Naruto?"

"Did Tsunade call me earlier; I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

Shizune giggled slightly as she remembered the way he was sitting in the chair earlier. "No, she hasn't called you yet. We have something to discuss quickly before you can see Tsunade."

"Okay."

The blond sat back down in the chair and let out a sigh. He would try again later when he was in the privacy of his own room. Gaara already considered him slightly off at times and wouldn't think anything extra about the new behavior.

The voices inside the room escaladed slightly and Naruto turned to face the door, trying to catch snippets of the conversation.

"…several bottles missing from inventory…sleep aides in the past few weeks…cut back on desserts…for the budget…"

Naruto groaned at the mention of loosing dessert at dinner. That was the one thing that he enjoyed about going to dinner; if they cut back on the ice cream cups, he would die. Maybe he could get one of his friends to pick up something sweet for him.

Although, there was that small stash of candy his parents had sent him last week for Valentine's Day. He had been trying to ration the food off, but at times, it was a little too tempting to just sit and suck on a lollypop while reading. Now that he thought about it, he still had another bag of chocolate kisses tucked in the back of his dresser.

Maybe he would dig that out later today.

"Naruto, Tsunade will see you now."

Shizune's voice drew him out of his chocolate induced dreams and he quickly ran a hand across his mouth in case he was drooling. The door shut behind him and he took a seat across from the blond haired doctor. She looked down at the papers in front of her and let out a sigh.

"I have to admit, I was worried that your relationship with Itachi was going to cause you to relapse, but so far, your record is clean." A small grin slipped across her face, "Maybe you were just sexually frustrated and now that you have an outlet for that-"

Naruto's face turned red, "We haven't done anything like that! Jeez, I'm starting to think that the perverted old man is corrupting you too."

Tsunade chuckled before her tone turned serious, "How are things going for you, all other things aside."

"It's been quiet. Orochimaru has been coming by to drop off edited chapters and helping me keep on track."

"You seem busy." She said and stared at him, "You know that I'll allow Orochimaru to keep pestering you so long as it doesn't affect your sleeping and meetings with Kakashi. If any of those things start to slip away from you, I will keep him away until you're back on track."

The blond nodded, "I understand. I've been sleeping well though; all the work lets me sleep soundly through the night. Although, I think Kakashi should spend some time away from work and with Iruka."

She snorted, "Mind your own business brat, I already have my hands full with you and the Uchiha. Still, it is good to hear you're sleeping well. Because I'm sure I'd have to use force to keep Orochimaru away." The doctor cracked her knuckles, "I haven't had a chance to beat on him in a while, I'm sure he's forgotten what it's like."

"You two knew each other before all this?"

"We went to the same college back in the day with Jiraiya." She paused, "Why am I telling you this? Get out of my office before I try and punish you for punching Itachi's brother."

Naruto gave a weak laugh and quickly vanished from the office.

* * *

A tan hand ran through blond locks, trying to make the rebellious strands stay in place. Naruto scowled when they spiked out again and let his hand drop to his side. He muttered under his breath as he tugged a jacket on and Gaara snorted at him from the bed.

"What?"

"You're acting like you're about to go see someone important. He said it was an informal dinner; nothing too fancy."

Naruto scoffed at him, "You're just saying this cause you backed out at the last moment."

A small smirk slipped across the redhead's face, "Maybe; but I feel as though the night would be spent better if the two of you were alone."

"But what if I say something stupid or something? I don't want him to think he made a mistake."

Green eyes flickered to the clock on the wall, "If you don't leave now, you'll be late."

The blond released a sigh of defeat before heading towards the door. He paused in the doorway and poked his head back into the room, "If anything happens; I'm holding you responsible."

Gaara rolled his eyes and went back to playing with the cards. There was no way he was being dragged along this time.

* * *

"So if you move the distribution center here, it'll drop transportation rates and increase profits for the smaller firms. If the smaller firms generate enough profit, we can sell them off once they pay us back their loans. Either way, you'll gain something in the end."

Itachi nodded as he flipped through the thick stack of papers in front of him. Kisame slid another binder across the table and he frowned at the large amount of red markings on the paper. It seemed that someone was unhappy about the newest proposals that were being worked on. He picked up the binder and looked to see who the editing chief for the proposal was. His lips twitched when his eyes found the name he was looking for.

Sasuke Uchiha

Itachi turned towards his brother who was focusing on a paper in his hands, "Do you find something wrong with the new proposal, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes glanced up from the paper and a smirk formed on his lips, "There were a few areas that you left open, namely ones that deal with price negotiation and profit sharing. I merely fixed your mistakes; you can thank me later."

"Actually, little brother, there was a reason those areas needed to stay open." Itachi answered and pulled a paper out from a folder, tapping it gently with his finger. "It was stated in the original outline to leave them open until actual representatives could meet with us in person. If you had submitted this, the meeting would have fallen through and we would have lost a valuable asset."

A small flush tipped Sasuke's ears as he grabbed the folder from Itachi. He was certain that he had his brother that time, but as always, Itachi had been one-step ahead of him. His eyes scanned the page, but they didn't take in any of the information printed. All he needed was a single step out of place in order to convince the board that his brother wasn't fit to run the company. The council of course voted in Itachi's favor since he was the selected heir to run the company, but even Itachi wasn't perfect.

Itachi watched Sasuke from the corner of his eye as his brother read over the paper. He could see the hidden anger there, lurking underneath the calm façade, and all of it was directed at him. Itachi knew what Sasuke was up to, quietly lurking in his shadow and waiting for him to mess up. His brother's attempts at trying to lure him into a trap had increased recently and Itachi was taking careful steps when dealing with the problem.

All Sasuke needed was the slightest bit of information to use to his advantage.

"Looking nice, Blondie."

Dark eyes glanced up at Kisame's remark and Itachi allowed a small smile to slip across his face as Naruto stuck his tongue out at him. The blond crossed the lobby area and leaned his body against the back of the couch so his head was close to Itachi's shoulder.

A frown crossed his face, as he looked at all the papers spread across the table, "Business stuff? Yuck."

"Only because you're too dimwitted to understand any of it." Sasuke drawled as he set the folder aside.

Naruto chose to ignore him and instead glanced at Itachi, "Gaara backed out of dinner, now I'm all alone."

"Dinner?"

"Yeah. Orochimaru called and said that the owner wanted to meet with me."

Itachi nodded, "Business plans I presume."

The blond shrugged, "Not sure, but that's why you should come with me. Besides, you're already dressed and you look like you could use a break." Naruto paused, "Please."

"I agree with him, I think we need a break." Kisame spoke up and Naruto flashed him a grin.

"Naruto, I don't think your boss would enjoy you bringing extra company with you." Itachi stated, "I'm sorry."

He watched the blonds' face fall and he felt his resolve start to break. But as much as he wanted to go and make sure the creepy agent didn't try anything, he knew he couldn't. Being a manager himself, he knew the hassle that came with extra people at dinner meetings. They always proved to be a distraction and the act was often frowned upon; he didn't want Naruto's new employer to think badly of him.

"I understand." Naruto said softly and rested his chin on Itachi's shoulder.

Itachi turned his head slightly to place a soft kiss on the blonds' temple and muttered, "You'll be fine."

Silence filled the lobby again as Kisame let out a sigh of disappointment and picked up another piece of paper. Naruto's eyes ran over the black text that filled the page and he tried to make sense of the words, but nothing of interest stood out. It was nothing but pointless words to him and the only thing that stood out to him was the elegant way the words were written. He heard his name being called and he lifted his head from the Itachi's shoulder.

"Hey Kakashi." He cocked his head and Itachi turned around in the chair to look at the doctor. "What's up?"

The silver haired doctor smiled and spoke in a slightly strained voice, "You have some people who are very anxious to see you."

Behind him, Orochimaru and another male were talking to each other in hushed tones. It wasn't until Kakashi cleared his throat that they stopped and looked up from their conversation. Itachi arched an eyebrow at the guilty looks on their face and the brunette stepped forward.

"Good evening Naruto, I'm Genma Shiranui; I guess I'm your boss."

The tension eased from Naruto's shoulders at the relaxed tone in the mans voice and he shook the offered hand, "Thanks for meeting with me Mr. Shiranui."

He shook his head, "Please don't call me sir, it makes me feel old; Genma will be fine."

A chuckle came from behind Naruto, "I see you haven't changed much Genma."

Genma blinked and took a step closer to the blond before cautiously peeking around Naruto's body. His eyes widened and Itachi smirked. "Itachi? Damn, it really is you."

"You know each other?" Naruto asked as he sat on the back of the chair.

Itachi nodded, "Genma came to us a few years back in hopes of starting a joint venture. He borrowed money from us to expand his company and paid us back in a few years time. It was more of my fathers' project so I never monitored it once the loan was paid in full. I'm pleased to see that the investment worked out."

A look of confusion flickered across the mans face, "Ah, I, um; what are you doing here?"

"He's a murderer." Sasuke's voiced from the other side of the table.

The comment rolled over Genma like a quick gust of wind; there one moment and gone the next. "Itachi, I need to thank you somehow. We should go to lunch sometime and catch up on old times."

Itachi smirked as he stood up, "Actually, if you don't mind the extra company, I could join you tonight. This way, you don't have to try and find a clear day in your schedule." He wrapped an arm around Naruto's waist and drew him closer, "I'm sure Naruto won't mind."

Naruto felt a sense of dread wash over him as Genma's eyes widened briefly, before they narrowed and a sly smirk slid across his mouth. "I see. So, if I do this..." He paused to lean in closer to the blond and a low growl escaped Itachi's throat, "You'll do that."

He backed away with a smirk on his face still, "I don't have any problems with you and your friends coming, the more the merrier! This way we can all catch up on lost time."

"Wasn't this supposed to be a business meeting for you and the blond?" Sasuke asked.

Genma shook his head, "I wouldn't have told him anything that he didn't already know. I just set up this meeting so I could meet him in person; he looked so cute in the picture."

A blush spread across Naruto's face at the comment and he squirmed in Itachi's grip. Why was he always surrounded by perverts? He felt Itachi shift behind him as he rounded the sofa and came to stand next to him, and for a moment, he feared that Genma had gone too far. But Itachi didn't do anything and he let out a sigh of relief.

"So, should we get going?" He asked cautiously.

"Yes; you two can ride in our car, and your partner and Uchiha Jr. can follow us."

Naruto snickered at the name and caressed Itachi's hand lightly before he stepped forward to talk to his agent. He knew that the Uchiha would want to stack all the papers and store them before they left and he didn't want to get in the way. Especially if Sasuke was going to be in a bad mood from the name-calling. His footsteps paused as he passed by the silver haired doctor who was watching everyone in the lobby move around. The blond found it odd that he wasn't reading instead but brushed the thought aside.

"We'll be leaving soon Kakashi. Sorry to keep you away from your job."

"Seems like you've invited everyone to your dinner." Kakashi said lightly and feigned a hurt tone, "What about your loving doctor?"

Azure eyes brightened, "Ah, you should take this time to spend with Iruka. Since we'll be gone, you have some free time; you should enjoy it."

Behind them, Orochimaru cleared his throat, "What if I wanted tonight to be a type of date; just the two of us? And yet, you go and bring everyone else; I'm hurt."

Naruto laughed at the comment and put a hand behind his head as a comeback escaped his mind.

Kakashi frowned slightly, "I thought you already had a lover Orochimaru."

"I do, but you can't help but tease Naruto; he's like a little brother or something." He reached forward to ruffle his hair, drawing a noise of annoyance from the blond before he swatted the hand away, "See what I mean?"

Ebony eyes narrowed at the gesture and Kisame chuckled slightly, "Maybe we should leave now, before it gets too late."

They nodded to the doctor as they left the center and separated into the separate cars. Kisame was happy to leave the confines of work for a while and Itachi could have sworn he was whistling to himself as they climbed into the vehicles. He pushed the thought aside as Naruto slid in next to him and he realized that he was glad to leave the mountains of paperwork behind as well. They had been pouring over the work for the entire day with only a small break for lunch.

As they drove away, he realized how hungry he actually was and even though he would have preferred to spend time alone with Naruto, he would take this time as well. Over the past few weeks, they had been able to spend vast quantities of time together, in which, Itachi found himself relaxing more and more as the blonds' presence surrounded him. His nights had become less restless and even work seemed to come easier to him.

Although, he wasn't sure if it had to do with the fact that every time he worked on something, Naruto was always close by; providing a constant soothing aura that made it easier to work. They would often curl up on the sofa in the library and work quietly on their respected jobs. And if it hadn't been for the annoying habit that Orochimaru had to pop up randomly and steal his blond away, Itachi might have actually liked the man.

The agent had a good grasp of business, especially in marketing and they had had several lengthy discussions on the subject. However, he was also the reason that for the past week, they hadn't been able to see much of each other. Naruto was close to finishing the editing on his manuscript thanks to the constant hounding of Orochimaru, but it was keeping him extremely busy. His editor was, as Naruto called him; a grammar police, and the chapters often came back filled with red markings on the subject.

But while Naruto complained about his editor's obsession with perfect grammar; (which he assured Itachi, no one was going to notice the difference between as and like), he still took the comments to heart and went about fixing the sentences. Itachi found some humor in this and loved to watch the facial expressions that flickered across Naruto as he read the comments and grumbled to himself. Those nights often ended with soft kisses and touches before the black haired agent interrupted them.

He wondered if one of the reasons the agent often acted the way he did was because he didn't know they were together. And it often made him wonder how Naruto felt about the whole thing, especially sense he didn't make a big deal about it like females often did. It wasn't public knowledge that they were together, but at the same time, he made no moves to hide most of his feelings. Seeing, as he was somewhat new to the whole thing, he felt as though he needed to test the waters with each step he took. He didn't want to confuse these feelings with lust and tried to savor the way his body felt at the small touches Naruto gave him.

A soft touch on his hand drew his thoughts away from the confusing vortex in his mind and he looked down into blue eyes. The blond nudged his head a little closer so their bodies were still far enough apart without causing any worry and his breath was warm as he asked, "Are you okay? You've been frowning for the entire ride."

Itachi nodded and gently ran his thumb over the top of Naruto's hand. "I'm fine, just thinking."

Naruto smiled a little and leaned back to his side of the car. He knew Itachi wasn't comfortable with openly flaunting the knowledge that they were together and he tried to keep the actions under the radar. But he knew that Itachi cared and showed his feelings through small touches of affection when they were in large public places; making them seem more special. His eyes glanced out the window where the trees were fading back and signs of the more populated city were coming into view.

He wasn't sure where they were going to eat, but Genma had assured him that it wasn't anything too fancy. The blond certainly hoped so, seeing as he was only dressed in nice jeans and a deep blue collared shirt. His gaze flickered to Itachi who was dressed a little more formal than he was and he still couldn't figure out why he would want to dress up for an informal business meeting. It must be a manager thing. He gazed up at the tall buildings in awe as they came closer and he thought he heard Itachi chuckle softly at his antics.

The car stopped outside one of the smaller buildings on the edge of the city and his eyes read the sign outside the restaurant. They climbed out of the car and entered the building, requesting a table for six. It didn't take long for a table to become available and they were showed to a table in the back of the room.

Itachi was quick to push Naruto into the booth seat first before sitting next to him; there was no way he was letting the agent sit next to the blond. Kisame slid next to him and he could see his eyes dancing with amusement at his actions. He scowled at his partner before realizing that Orochimaru was sitting across from Naruto and he found himself staring at Genma, who still had a sly smirk on his face.

Yes, tonight was going to be interesting.

After ordering drinks and skimming the menu, Genma leaned forward and rested his chin on folded hands, "So Itachi; Orochimaru and I were having this discussion earlier and we were hoping you could help us come to an agreement."

Itachi eyed them cautiously and set his menu aside while everyone else continued to look through the choices. Genma's voice was low and he had to strain his ears slightly to make out any words in the slightly loud restaurant. "Yes?"

"Well, you see, it started when we first came to the center and saw Naruto leaning over the chair." Something squirmed in Itachi's stomach; this wasn't going to turn out well, "And we we're trying to find the best word to describe his ass. I said it was cute, Orochimaru said it was fuckable."

His body stiffened and he felt Naruto turn to look at him. He ignored the blond for the moment and met Genma's eyes, "Off-limits."

An eyebrow rose, "Off limits?" He echoed, "So, have you…"

"Drop it." He said coldly. "It is none of your concern."

Orochimaru's eyes flickered over the top of the menu to gauge Itachi's reaction before they lowered again. Beside him, Genma was shaking with laughter behind his menu that he had picked up again and he elbowed him. He had a feeling that his perverted boss was going to get a kick out of messing with the usually stoic Uchiha, but he wasn't sure if the restaurant was the best place to do so. Not like he hadn't done so himself at the center several times. It was always amusing to watch Itachi grow frustrated when he dragged Naruto away for something.

Still, despite all his own dirty thoughts, which he blamed on Jiraiya, he would never touch the blond in a sexual way. Not only for the fact that Itachi would probably kill him, but he had someone else that he was rather faithful to. Besides, he had too much fun watching the Uchiha's hackles rise.

Their waiter came and they ordered before a quiet conversation settled over the table about the finer points of the publishing side of business. Naruto grimaced at the talk and sipped at his drink; he knew that he should understand the basics of the publishing company, but he found it boring. He head rested on his hand as he read over the dessert menu and he felt Itachi's hand sneak down and grab his other hand.

A small smile crossed his face as he continued to read the menu and he laced his fingers through the Uchiha's pale one. He felt Itachi squeeze his fingers lightly and suddenly the talking didn't seem so boring, but it still didn't stop his mind from wondering. His mind went back to the conversation earlier with Tsunade and how she mentioned her connection with Orochimaru. It seemed that somehow, everyone was connected in a tight fit web.

"Six degrees of separation." He muttered.

He noticed that everyone was looking at him and he flushed when he realized that he had spoken louder than he thought. He quickly muttered a sorry and tried to get the conversation starting again, but it seemed that they weren't going to let him drop the subject. Finally, he repeated what he said and Itachi nodded in understanding.

"The theory that every one person is at least six steps away from any other person." He paused, "What brought that up?"

Naruto shook his head, "Just something Tsunade said this morning and how it seems to tie in with everyone here knowing each other through someone. It's an interesting theory."

Orochimaru chuckled and leaned over the table to grab his chin, "I know that look in a writers eyes; it means that their thinking of a new idea."

"There's no such thing, Orochimaru; you're just making that up." Genma stated and tried to move closer. "I think his eyes look the same."

"No, they were gazed over just a moment ago; you made him lose his train of thought."

"Perhaps you both made it go away with you constant touching." Itachi growled, "Let him go."

The agent's hand dropped quickly at the harsh tone and next to Itachi, Kisame's shoulders shook with concealed laughter. Across from him, Sasuke simply stared at them with calculating eyes. Kisame tried to keep the laughter from escaping and wondered how far they could push Itachi until he completely snapped. Normally he handled public affairs quietly, but he seemed to be struggling with himself this time. His eyes glanced down the table to the blond head and he knew that Naruto was the cause of it.

And he probably didn't even realize it.

With a softer chuckle, he leaned back into the seat as the waiter came by with their food. If this little change in attitude had happened due to the blond, he wondered what else had changed that he was unaware of. He wondered if it meant that Itachi would be easier to deal with at work; if so, he was going to make sure that they stayed together. His eyes watched as Genma and the agent exchanged a glance that went unseen by Itachi, and he prepared himself for another attack.

Even though he found the whole thing amusing as well, he only hoped that the two men knew when to stop. Otherwise, they would be leaving with four people instead of six tonight.

* * *

By the time they arrived back at the center, Itachi's body was tense and Naruto worried that he was going to snap any second. But despite that threat, he still couldn't hold in the small bubble of laughter that escaped from his throat. He wasn't sure what had prompted the promiscuous actions at dinner, but it had gotten under the Uchiha's skin. Dark eyes glanced his way and he clamped his mouth shut, focusing on the car as it drove away. Once it vanished onto the road, they made their way back inside the center and the blond cast a sly look at Itachi.

"You're tense."

"Hm."

Silence settled over them as they walked down the hallway to the blonds' room. Behind them, Kisame and Sasuke were finishing packing the boxes of papers before stacking them in the car. They turned the corner and Naruto cast a devious look at Itachi. "What did Genma and Orochimaru do that has you so riled up?"

"Nothing."

He poked him in the arm and they paused in the middle of the hallway. Itachi turned to look at the blond and an eyebrow rose at Naruto's narrowed eyes and cunning smirk, "Itachi, I think you were jealous."

"No." He answered and Naruto mimicked him by raising an eyebrow. A soft huff escaped his mouth before he pulled him closer to his body and his mouth curled into a smirk, "Maybe I was."

"I thought Uchiha's weren't supposed to get jealous." Naruto teased.

Itachi shook his head before he pressed his lips against Naruto's forehead, "Uchiha's are still human and subject to emotion; just like everyone else."

A hum vibrated from the blonds' throat and he started in surprise when Itachi's hand grabbed at his bottom. "If anyone asks you to describe your butt, tell them it's off limits."

"Okay." Naruto said hesitantly but didn't question the statement any further. He figured it had something to do with the earlier conversation at dinner.

Itachi leaned down and tilted the blonds head up before placing his lips over Naruto's. His hands slid down to bring the younger male closer to his body and drank in the warmth that spread through him. He could feel Naruto's body shifting as he stood on his toes so he could wrap his arms around his neck. A soft keening noise escaped the blonds' throat as Itachi broke the kiss and sucked on his earlobe. Itachi smirked and trailed light kisses on the skin before he nipped at the skin underneath his jaw.

Naruto's body trembled in his arms and he felt small puffs of breath tickling his ear. He had to admit that he rather liked having the blond pressed flush against his body and his eyes widened briefly at the thought before they lowered slightly. Itachi glanced at the younger male in his arms and his eyes raked over his expression, trying to decide what was going through his mind. For the umpteenth time, he wondered if Naruto wanted something more than just small kisses and touches.

Carefully, his hand slipped under Naruto's shirt that had somehow become un-tucked during dinner and his fingers lightly played on the tan skin. He felt a fine shiver race through the blonds' body as his fingers slowly traveled up the firm chest and brushed against perk nipples, making Naruto hiss and arch into the touch. Blue eyes were hooded but they looked at him in curiosity and for a moment, Itachi feared he had gone too far.

"I thought you didn't like public places."

Itachi pressed his lips against the tan neck to hide the small smile that graced his lips. He was glad that Naruto wasn't upset with him, and was more concerned about his own comfort then pleasure. It seemed that the blond was content to let him set the pace and he was fine with that.

"So did your ankle pop?"

Naruto's head whipped around quickly and Itachi lifted his head at the voice, scowling softly.

"Ankle pop, what are you talking about Gaara?"

The redhead shrugged, "You know in the Princess Diaries, she says that her ankle pops when she kisses the man she loved."

A snort sounded from Naruto's throat before he was clutching his stomach with laughter and the only thing keeping him standing were Itachi's arms. When his laughter finally reached a controllable stage he focused on his roommate, "You watched the Princess Diaries? Isn't that a movie for girls?"

"Temari was watching it one night; I just happened to hear that part."

Naruto snickered again, "Uh huh, sure."

Green eyes narrowed, "You tell anyone and I'll let it slip that you like to cuddle with Itachi when you edit your chapters. Come on, it's late; if you don't get some sleep you'll fall asleep during your editing again." The blond let out a sigh of defeat and Gaara vanished into the room.

"Your roommate has a habit of interrupting us." Itachi muttered against his skin.

The younger male chuckled softly, "Fine, next time we'll just stay in your room and lock the door."

Itachi shook his head at the suggestion and placed another kiss on the blonds' lips before releasing his grip. "I'm sure he would find a way to get in, either that or your agent would bound in, demanding the newest chapter."

"Be nice." He said, "It's his job."

"He does an excellent job at it."

Naruto pushed him in the direction of his room and Itachi chuckled softly at his antics, but continued down the hallway. He paused when he heard the door shut and let a small smile slip across his face before he continued; never noticing the figure that glowered at them from the shadows…


	12. In Ictu Oculi

Blue eyes skimmed the pages in front of him while a gentle hand played with his hair. After a stressful month of working nonstop on his manuscript, Naruto had decided to give himself a much-needed break. It had been six days since the dinner with Genma and his agent was coming by tonight to pick up an almost complete manuscript.

He squirmed a little more to push closer to the warm body while outside the wind howled against the building. It was close to spring, but the weather had taken a dramatic change during the night and forecasters were warning of a snowstorm later in the evening. With a sigh, he glanced out the window where he could see the trees in the distance swaying in the wind.

His computer sat on the table next to him and it hummed gently in the background of the room. For the past few days, he had gone to bed with a headache and Itachi had suggested that it was from looking at the computer screen for so long. This only prompted him to take a break and read the book that Itachi had given him.

Naruto had only had a chance to read a few chapters in it before the overwhelming task of rewriting had taken hold of him. Not that he didn't like it; but after reading the same chapter over and over again, something had to give. So now, he was taking his break, curled up next to Itachi's warm body. Not that either were complaining though; Itachi had even made sure that the agent didn't know where they were so he wouldn't bother them.

Pale hands ran through his hair, making his eyes droop slightly and he forced his eyes to focus on the text in front of him. The book was interesting and he loved it, but he was finding it harder and harder to focus. Above him, Itachi chuckled and reached over to pull the book from his hands.

"If you're tired, don't force yourself to read."

"But it's really good." He protested, "And I can't help it if you keep playing with my hair like that."

Itachi's lips curled into a smirk, "Would you like me to stop?"

Naruto pouted, "That's a trick question."

Regardless, the hand didn't move from his head and he let his eyes close. Naruto knew that he was in for a late night tonight and it was probably best to try to catch a quick nap now. Orochimaru was coming by to look over the almost complete manuscript and they planned on working on some small changes before the agent went back to the publishing company.

"What time is your meeting with Kakashi?"

Naruto slowly opened his eyes and they focused on Itachi. "A little after twelve." He let his eyes drop again, "What time is it?"

"Eleven. You still have a while until you meet him; I'll wake you up."

As nice as the idea sounded, Naruto shook his head and sat up. He knew that the agent was already on the center grounds talking with Tsunade and they had been avoiding him, but his time was up. With a groan, he pushed himself up from the bed and picked up the stack of papers on the table next to his computer. He felt a sly hand snake around his waist before it tugged him back onto the bed and he fell forward with a slight oof.

Naruto raised his head and looked into an amused face. "Someone doesn't want me to leave."

Itachi's hand trailed down his spine, making Naruto shiver at the gentle touch, "I feel like your agent and everyone else sees you more than I do."

Naruto let his head drop onto Itachi's chest while he listened to the strong beat of his heart. Itachi shifted slightly before rolling them over and settled his body in between Naruto's legs, enjoying the blush that crept up on his face. He leaned forward and sucked lightly on the skin presented to him while slowly moving closer to his mouth.

"You know, it's a good thing they aren't watching me at night anymore." He said, "I think I'd give them a small show; you've been haunting my dreams."

Naruto blinked and his face quickly turned red, "Oh really?" He leaned in closer to Itachi's ear, "Have you been having naughty dreams?"

A deep chuckle vibrated from Itachi's chest, "I see you spread out underneath me, flushed and panting for breath while I take you over and over again." He paused to place a small kiss on his forehead, "But I want to wait; or at least until we're out of here."

"You just don't want Orochimaru interrupting us."

"I also don't want others hearing you moan my name."

Naruto smirked, "Possessive?"

Itachi hummed as he pressed his mouth against Naruto's lips while his hand slipped under his shirt. After watching Naruto run around the center for the past few days, he wanted nothing more than to spend time alone with him. But they had both been busy and it irked him that he couldn't relax for a minute. While they both took they tasks seriously, he didn't want Naruto to burn out and had decided to use that as an excuse to take a break as well.

He had worked most of his life, resulting in him missing many important things that one should always take time to enjoy. Such as the simpler things in life, like fun and relaxing.

His fingers worked their way up the tanned chest and when Naruto groaned softly, he slipped his tongue past Naruto's lips. He felt Naruto arch against him as he brushed his fingers against the skin on his chest and he slowly rocked his hips against Naruto.

"Ngh...'Tachi"

Naruto's arms draped over his back and Itachi felt his hot breath fanning over his face while he continued to move slowly. Cerulean eyes were hidden under hooded eyelids as Itachi continued to move and Itachi leaned down to suck on his neck again.

"Meeting." He panted out, "I have to meet with Kakashi."

Itachi's eyes flickered towards the clock on his nightstand table; the clock read 11:47 and he smirked. "You have time, unless you wish for me to stop."

Naruto let out a whine when Itachi moved again and his body shivered; Kakashi could wait.

* * *

"You're a little late Naruto."

With a small blush, Naruto sat down on the chair and tugged at his shirt, "Yeah, well, um; some things came up."

Kakashi grinned and his eye curved slightly, "Yes, you were  _very_  busy."

Naruto sputtered while Kakashi spread out some papers on his desk and looked over them. He fidgeted in his seat while silence overtook the room and he looked at the clock. Because of his and Itachi's actions, he had never delivered the chapters to Orochimaru. With a frown, he tried to calculate when the agent would be leaving and wondered if he would have time to catch him before he left.

"...ruto…Naruto!"

He jumped and shook his head, "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I was asking how you've been for the past few days. You kept pushing your meeting back for the week and you didn't have one at all last week."

Naruto's eyes glanced at the floor, "I had a meeting with Tsunade; I thought that counted."

The doctor shook his head, "Even if you have a meeting with Tsunade, you still need to see me at least once a week. We do this so I can make sure nothing has changed."

He shuffled slightly, "Well, nothing has happened in a while. I've been busy with Orochimaru and all that."

"And Itachi?"

"We've both been busy, so there are some days where we don't see much of each other." Naruto stated.

Kakashi looked at him before glancing at the papers again, "On average, how much time do you spend with Itachi?"

Naruto shrugged, "I'm not sure."

There was a knock on the door and it flew open quickly, revealing a flustered Orochimaru. His eyes glanced around the room once before they settled on Naruto and he grinned, "Ha, there you are! You have no idea how hard you are to find. Where were you for the last few hours?"

"Uh, no where."

"It doesn't matter; the point is that I found you and now we can work on this new packet."

Kakashi cleared his throat, "We're not done here yet, Orochimaru."

The agent glanced at him before looking back at Naruto. He shifted on his feet as if trying to decide whether or not it would be worth it to grab Naruto and run or just wait. Finally, his shoulders dropped slightly, "Fine, I'll wait outside."

The door closed and Naruto turned back to Kakashi, "Are we almost done?"

"Almost." The doctor answered, "I would like to suggest that you don't spend several hours with Itachi at any given point. Due to the uh, closeness you two seem to be exhibiting, I am slightly worried that it may cause a relapse in you. Perhaps you should only see him in limited quantities every few days."

Naruto frowned, "But Tsunade didn't say anything about it; she actually thinks it's a good thing that we spend time together. Something about an outlet…"

"Just for a little while and we can see what happens."

Naruto stood up, "Is that it then?"

Kakashi nodded, "Yes, you are free to go."

The door shut quietly behind Naruto and Kakashi leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh; it was going to be a long day.

* * *

Naruto frowned as he walked down the hallway to the library while Orochimaru walked quietly next to him. The agent was happy to start working again but he had quickly sensed that Naruto was in a foul mood after his meeting. Orochimaru pondered what had happened in the room after he left that had caused Naruto to look slightly distraught now. He had often pitied Tsunade for her career choice; telling people everyday that there was something wrong with them didn't seem like a pleasant job.

Still, Tsunade loved her job and he supposed that was all that mattered. Not like, he could say anything about his own job though. He often had to chase authors around for late chapters while trying to explain to the company why they had missed the deadline. Yes, it was a great way to get exercise, but it grew old quickly.

Naruto however was like a breath of fresh air; and the complete opposite of Jiraiya in the procrastination sector. While they both had a beautiful talent for writing, the similarities stopped there. Jiraiya was often late in submitting his work and was always easy to find. Naruto though, was always prompt on getting the chapters back to him and was; unfortunately, sometimes hard to find when he wanted to be. Maybe he shouldn't have interrupted his time with Itachi so much.

He was certain Itachi was about ready to kill him, especially after the dinner fiasco six nights ago.

But it was worth it.

Orochimaru held back his laughter as they entered the library and settled down on the plush seats. He eyed the packet in Naruto's hands and waited until Naruto was settled in the chair before holding his hand out.

"You're like a little kid asking for candy." Naruto said with amusement in his voice.

"I enjoy nice things." He answered as the packet was set in his hand. With a quick flick of the wrist, the top was opened and he pulled out a thick set of papers. "I'll review these now and you can look over this new set tomorrow."

Naruto cocked his head, "Why not now?"

"We're on schedule right now; I don't see any problem with you taking some time off. Go outside and get some air or something."

"You sure? I can help with something if you need it."

"I'm fine; enjoy the day off. Trust me, you won't get many more."

Naruto looked uncertain but left the library anyway. It was only one o' clock, he had nothing else planned for the rest of the day, and as he made his way back to his room, he remembered Kakashi's words. He frowned at them and wondered why the doctor would tell him that, but Tsunade said nothing on the subject. And if that was the case, who should he listen to? Well, Kakashi never said when he was supposed to start staying away from Itachi.

"Oof."

He grunted when he ran into a solid body and rubbed his forehead, "Hey Blondie."

It took a second to place the voice before he answered back, "Fishy friend, how are you?"

Kisame grunted at him and tapped him on the head with the binder he was holding, "You know, whatever Sasuke says about you, I disagree with him. I don't think you're a negative influence on Itachi at all."

"You just like it 'cause he's not so grumpy anymore." Naruto grumbled.

"Grumpy is a good way to put it; although I think that gives him too much credit." Kisame said with a laugh before leaning down so they were eye level, "But seriously, I love you and all for what you've done for him, but if you break his heart, I'll stick Samehada on you."

"Samehada?"

There was a small snort from Kisame's left, "Samehada is Kisame's dog." Itachi said as he moved around the taller male to stand next to Naruto, "He's a Papillon breed." 

Naruto bit at his lip as his shoulders started to shake and it didn't take long for him to start laughing hysterically, "A Papillon; are you serious? That tiny dog! No way."

Kisame sniffed, "Samehada isn't little and he can be very aggressive."

"I'm sure." Naruto gasped out as he leaned against Itachi for support. "Man, I was expecting a Boxer or a Doberman, not a Papillon."

"Moving on…." Kisame said but huffed as Naruto continued to laugh.

"Can't…breathe." He cried as tears streamed down his face. He turned around so his back was to Kisame and tried to compose himself before turning back again while he wiped at his tears. His mouth still trembled a little but his laughter had quieted down considerably, "Okay; I'm good now."

"Just remember what I said."

Naruto's face turned serious, "I understand. And while I can't promise that I won't hurt him on accident, I will never hurt him purposely."

Kisame inclined his head towards Naruto. "Thank you." He glanced at Itachi and held out the binder, "I'll stop by in a few days to pick that up."

He gave them a small wave and moved past them. Once he vanished from the hallway, Itachi turned to Naruto. "Should I even ask what you two were talking about."

"Nope," Naruto said with a smile, "But I think you should know; you have a good partner."

Itachi blinked and before he could question the statement, Naruto was pulling him towards the stairs, "Come on, let's go outside before the storm hits."

Itachi allowed himself to be pulled down the stairs while silently pondering the conversation between Kisame and Naruto. He had come in at the last moment, in time to hear his partner mention the tiny dog that he kept for company. But judging from the serious tone that Kisame was using and Naruto's last comment to him, he had a sneaky suspicion that they were talking about him. And if memory served correctly, his partner was always concerned about his welfare.

He huffed at Kisame, who was probably half way to the company by now.

Naruto glanced back at him and cocked his head; wondering if Itachi was annoyed with him. He pushed the door open and sucked in the crisp winter air, smiling as his breath fanned out in white puffs despite the lack of snow on the ground. Dark clouds floated overhead and he couldn't wait to take advantage of the snow tomorrow. It would be the last storm until spring hit again and he wanted one last chance to enjoy the cold snow.

"You know, you've been here for almost two months." He said as he let go of Itachi's wrist and darted out into the garden area.

The trees were still bare and it would be another month until spring snuck up on them, but he could wait for it. Spring meant that Gaara would be leaving since there was no actual cure to insomnia, just treatments to help the redhead sleep. He had been given some medicine to take, but they were making sure that he didn't become dependent on the pills before they released him. So far, Gaara had been adjusting to the medicine well and had even attempted to fall asleep without it once or twice.

Even Kiba seemed to be handling his own problem relatively easy. Akamaru was working wonders for the brunette and was now an extension of his body. He never saw Kiba without the dog and even when he left it somewhere, the animal would sniff him out. There had been a small case where Kiba relapsed slightly and for that, he was being kept an extra two months, but he was free to come and go whenever he wished.

A thick cloud of white escaped his mouth as he looked up at the clouds, eventually Kiba would leave too.

He wondered how long it would take him to leave as well and what would happen after that. It often frustrated him when he wasn't able to make any progress, especially when all he wanted were answers on how to make it stop. But even more recently, the heavier thought on his mind was what would happen once he left. Would he leave before Itachi, or would Itachi leave before him?

And what would happen after that?

"It's almost spring." He said.

Itachi looked at him curiously and moved closer to wrap his arms around the smaller body. He didn't know what was going on in Naruto's mind, but he could see it weighing heavily in his eyes. "What's troubling you?"

"Nothing." He answered and tilted his head back, "What makes you think something is bothering me."

Itachi placed a chaste kiss on his forehead, "Because your eyes look troubled. Like you feel as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders."

Naruto chewed on his lower lip in thought and after a while spoke softly, "The future."

Itachi's eyes darted to the side at the words. He knew that he wasn't talking about the unpredictable and uncontrollable thing that surrounded their world, but instead the thought of 'what next'. Two months they had known each other and while he didn't believe in finding 'the one', he knew that he couldn't see himself without Naruto anytime in the near future. But that didn't mean that things wouldn't change. There were many variables that couldn't be accounted for and trying to say that they would always be together was impossible.

"I can't say that I'll always be there," He started and felt Naruto stiffen slightly, "But I promise to never leave you purposely."

Naruto shifted in his arms so he could turn around and pressed his face into Itachi's chest while his arms circled around his waist. He knew what Itachi was trying to say and even if it was slightly reassuring, it still wasn't a direct answer. Comparing his other relationships to this one, he knew they were different and he desperately wanted to hear Itachi acknowledge it. Even if it wasn't those three words that everyone tossed around so carelessly, he wanted to know that he wasn't just going to leave him. Now that Itachi had a small taste of a relationship, he was worried that he might wish to seek out someone else.

He had seen it happen before and he'd be damned if it happened to him again.

There was always a reason why he was cautious when dating; he'd seen too many people hurt because of this thing called love. More often than not, it was because one of the partners wasn't into it full heartedly and left for no reason. And most of the times, he was on the end where he watched the other walk away. But despite his promise to ignore the feeling of attraction, he couldn't stop it himself from trying one more time with Itachi.

He wanted Itachi to be different, he had hoped, and somewhere in the corner of his mind, he knew he was different. Nevertheless, he wanted Itachi to say it, to reassure him that it wasn't a half hearted attempt.

Insecurity can either make a fool out of you or make you a very wise person.

A gentle kiss was placed on his head and he peeked up cautiously to see dark eyes smiling at him. The bell for dinner rang and Itachi's arms unwound themselves from Naruto's waist and drifted down to grasp his hand. He tugged at it carefully and after a moment's hesitation, Naruto followed him.

' _I trust you Itachi and to you, I'd give_ _my heart; but I beg of you to be careful with it.'_

* * *

When they entered the cafeteria, Gaara was waiting for them at their usual table along with Orochimaru and Kakashi, and Itachi arched an eyebrow. Usually the dark haired agent was long gone by dinnertime and Kakashi rarely ate with them.

"What are you two doing here?" Naruto asked, sliding into a seat.

Orochimaru placed a hand over his heart, "Why Naruto, you sound like you don't want us here."

"I was just curious." He mumbled.

"Tsunade won't let him leave because of the incoming storm. It's supposed to be a strong one." Gaara answered, "I take it that I'll be dragged outside tomorrow morning to play in it?"

Naruto grinned, "You know me so well."

"Naruto could hardly sit still in his meeting today." Kakashi said with laughter in his voice while he rested his elbows on the table, "I take it that means the story is coming along nicely?"

Orochimaru nodded, "It is. Naruto is extremely diligent when it comes to working on his edited chapters. It doesn't take much for him to complete the chapters that are returned to him." He chuckled, "He's much better at time management than his godfather. Since I'm staying here tonight, I can work on it during the night and it can be finished by tomorrow."

Naruto shook his head at the comment but a small tint of red graced his cheeks at the praise. He grinned, "Well, I have a good roommate who makes sure that I get my job done; and I'm not too sure who I fear more; Gaara or my crazy editor."

The agent leaned forward and grasped Naruto's hand, "You, little Naruto, have nothing to worry about. I'll make sure to protect you from all that your crazy editor has to offer; for you are like a fair maiden who needs to be protected."

"Maiden!" He squawked, "I'm not a girl!"

Gaara snorted, "Maybe not by outward appearances, but we all know what you play in your relationship."

Naruto flicked Gaara off with his free hand while Orochimaru smirked, "But fear not, for your agent is like a knight and he will fight for you." He leaned in closer and gently kissed Naruto's knuckles.

There was a sound of glass breaking and everyone turned towards the noise. Orochimaru frowned; maybe he had gone too far. Despite the calm façade that was Itachi's face, pieces of glass littered his plate and the table was wet with water.

Silence settled over the table for a moment before Kakashi stood up, "Uh, let me get you a new glass."

Once the doctor vanished, Orochimaru shifted forward slightly, careful not to set Itachi off. "Itachi, you should know that I have no desire to make a move on Naruto; you shouldn't worry about me. Or Genma for that matter." He added as an after thought.

Naruto stood up and moved to sit next to Itachi. He carefully turned the hand over so he could see the palm and his eyes skimmed the skin for any cuts. There were no visible cuts on the surface, but he should still have Tsunade look over it. A bottle was set next to his elbow and he looked up to see Gaara standing next to him with a small jar of cotton balls.

"Tsunade's office was unlocked."

Naruto smiled and thanked his roommate before taking the cotton balls from his hand. He turned his attention back to Itachi who was staring at his hand with a blank face, but he could see the tense jaw muscles bunching up. With a 'tsk', he poured the liquid onto the fluffy ball and dabbed at the skin. Itachi hissed at the stinging on his hand and tried to jerk his hand away but Naruto had a tight grip on his wrist.

He was forced to sit quietly until Naruto finished. Once the cap was screwed back on, he reached forward to bring Naruto closer and pushed his lips against Naruto's. After a while, he pulled back, his hand grasping the back of Naruto's neck and Naruto panted for breath. "You're my maiden."

A paper cup dropped in between their faces and Naruto blinked at the creased surface before looking up. Kakashi glanced down at him and a small smile flickered to his lips, "This one shouldn't break."

They parted slightly and Itachi took the offered cup. He sipped at it, grimacing at the taste that came from the paper. "Thank you Kakashi."

"Anytime."

Itachi pushed his plate aside since it was covered in glass shards and plucked a meatball from Naruto's plate. Naruto huffed at him but slid his bowl over so Itachi had better access to it. They ate in silence while outside the beginnings of the storm sounded.

* * *

An hour after dinner, Itachi stifled another yawn and Naruto looked up at him. "That has to be the tenth one in the past three minutes."

"That's impossible." He stated, "I'm certain that you can't yawn that many times."

Naruto sat up and crawled closer to Itachi. "You look tired."

He didn't try to argue, he was having trouble keeping his eyes open and the warmth from Naruto's body wasn't helping. Naruto reclined on the sofa next to him while he read over the papers that Kisame had given him. Naruto was busy marking some papers that Orochimaru had given him and comparing them to his latest chapter.

"I think I'm going to bed." Itachi said and paused as the lights flickered due to the storm, "If the weathers calmer tomorrow I'll go outside with you."

Naruto grinned at him, "Okay." He chirped and leaned over to kiss his cheek, "I'm going to stay here and finish this packet; I'll see you in the morning."

Itachi made a soft noise and debated about staying for a few more minutes, but as another yawn escaped his mouth, he decided against it. He stood up, dropped the blanket on Naruto's lap, and bid him goodnight before walking to his room.

Exhaustion tugged at his body and he wanted nothing more than to curl up under his warm sheets. He sluggishly brushed his teeth and changed into his pajamas before collapsing onto his bed. Within minutes, he was sound asleep, dead to the world while the storm ragged on.

* * *

The clock outside in the hallway showed that it was ten-thirty already and Naruto stifled a yawn. He knew that if either Kakashi or Tsunade caught him now, he would be in a lot of trouble for staying up so late at night, but he planned on going to bed after this. In his hands, he had the last chapter of his book and all he had to do was drop it off in the library where Orochimaru was working.

The agent was staying the night due to the raging winter storm outside and was going to crash in Tsunade's office. Tsunade had refused to let him venture out onto the roads as the storm grew more intense and had offered her office instead. She had her own small room in another wing where she watched other patients and was fine with letting an old friend sleep on the couch. When asked why he couldn't have her room, Tsunade simply delivered a hard blow onto his head and happily muttered something about missing the old days.

Naruto paused as the wind screamed outside, making the trees scrape across the brick. It sounded like a person screaming as compared to the wind and he shivered slightly. He couldn't remember a storm being this strong in a while and he wondered if Itachi would mind if he crawled into bed with him. The thought brought a small smile to his face before he continued on his way to the library again. No matter how strong the urge was in his mind, he didn't want Itachi to have a heart attack the next morning.

The elevator arrived with a soft ding and he walked into the small box. After he pressed the correct button, he leaned against the wall and sighed; he knew he should have checked the library first instead of Tsunade's office. He had thought that the agent would have been in the office, working on the final draft as well, but the room was empty and he didn't want to leave his chapter there. One time when he was younger, Jiraiya had left a completed chapter in the empty study at their house and a curious five-year-old Naruto had decided to make snowflakes out of the paper.

Ever since that incident, his godfather had never left chapters in empty rooms for fear that another snowflake accident would happen again.

Because of the past issue though, Naruto had learned that one should always hand deliver the papers into a humans' hand. This way, said human would be responsible once the chapter was handed off.

The elevator stopped on the correct floor and Naruto stepped out. His shoes squeaked on the freshly waxed floor and he wondered if he could ice skate on it with his socks. He shook his head and pushed the thought aside while he walked down the hallway.

He didn't see a light underneath his door as he moved by it but he knew that Gaara could still up, probably listening to the storm rage outside. Another scream of wind made him jump and he almost contemplated ducking back into his own room. It wasn't that he was scared; but it was creepy in the center at night and he kept expecting someone to jump out from a room. Maybe he should grab Gaara; the redhead would protect him.

A soft chuckle escaped his mouth and he continued down the hallway; there was nothing to fear.

Naruto's eyes flickered when one of the shadows further down the corridor seemed to move. His footsteps faltered slightly as the lights flickered from the storm and he rubbed at his eyes; he could have sworn that he saw someone. After staring at the spot for a while longer, he convinced himself that the lights were playing tricks on him and he continued walking with a slightly faster pace.

Maybe he would stay with Itachi tonight.

After all, Itachi's room was closer to the library, meaning it would be a shorter walk back. And there was nothing wrong with wanting to snuggle next to a warm body. He would just make sure to wake Itachi before he crawled into bed with him.

Two doors down from Itachi's room, a lithe shadow materialized from the darkened corridor and Naruto nearly screamed. He sucked in a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart and opened his mouth to yell at the person about scaring him when the words died in his mouth. The winds outside had quieted down and in the silence of the hallway, Naruto could hear the soft dripping noise that fell on the floor and despite the dim lighting; he could see what the liquid on the floor was.

Blood.

His eyes trailed up from the multitude of blood splatters on the floor and they settled on a sharp object that jutted out from a clenched hand. More blood drops dripped from its pointed tip and fell to the floor with a sickening splat. The noise was loud in his ears and he felt his breathing start to speed up again as the air escaped his mouth in quick gasps.

He was too focused on the knife that he didn't realize the figure had stopped and had called his name.

Naruto jerked backwards as the shadow took a step toward him and his body tensed. The papers in his hands dropped to the ground in a flutter of white and his eyes snapped up when the figure took another step closer. His mouth struggled to form words and a scream tried to tear out of his throat, but it was locked in fear. It seemed like his mouth and brain were working against each other and despite his mind screaming betrayal, nothing came out.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed locked in place, but his brain and mouth finally connected and he felt his lips start to move. But as the name tumbled out of his mouth, a sharp pain erupted in the back of his head and it was only then that he realized that the shadow had moved. Naruto fell to the ground and cried softly as his shoulder hit the hard floor. Naruto watched as the shadow drifted closer and he tried to blink away the black spots that were slowly closing in on him.

A warm, wet hand pressed against his pulse point and his eyelids struggled to stay open. Dark eyes flickered red from the glare of the emergency exit sign that hung in the shadowed hallway and they glared down at him before his world went black.


	13. Your Life can Change

A loud piercing scream echoed throughout the empty hallways, reverberating off the walls and into vacant rooms. It trickled down to a hoarse cry before vanishing all together as the shadows swallowed the noise, leaving only eerie silence to drift through the building. But to those listening inside their rooms, the scream would sound no different from that of the howling winds outside. Silence is usually awkward to most and nothing scares people more than silence.

In an effort to protect the body, the mind acts as a shield, blocking out images that would otherwise cause a person harm. It is in control of the fight or flight notion and even in an effort to protect ourselves, sometimes the mind can be the thing that hurts us the most. While we learn these skills as young children, they fade away as we grow older, but they always stay with us, somewhere in the back of our minds. And because of that, we will always have a hidden nature to fear things that we once feared as a child.

More often than not, little kids hide under the covers during storms, preferring to stay hidden from the brutality outside. But as they grow older, their fears shift to other things as they realize that the storms having nothing in them to fear. However, those thoughts can be proven wrong; there is always something to fear within a storm… or at least the storms that lay hidden within the human heart.

* * *

Floating, that's what he was doing. All around him, clouds drifted and his fingers played with the white fluff balls while he reclined on a rather large one. Who would have guessed that clouds felt like cotton balls? Maybe he should invest in a bed of cotton balls; that would be nice.

There was a loud noise to his right that sounded strangely off considering he was floating in the sky, but whatever, the watchdog would take care of them.

His eyes darted around the bright blue sky that seemed oddly familiar and they settled on a golden bird. He held out his hand and it flittered down to perch upon a finger, chirping softly at him. Its blue eyes blinked at him as he felt a name appear on the tip of his tongue and he reached out to stroke its chest.

"Naruto…"

Itachi's body was slammed onto the ground and he was jolted awake at the rough treatment. His head snapped up to glare at the hands that were holding him down and he found his room swarmed with uniformed bodies.

"What's going on?" He snarled.

"Itachi Uchiha, you're being detained for the murder of Orochimaru. He was found dead last night in the library."

"On what proof?" He asked.

One of the officers looked at him, "There is a trail of blood that leads from the library to your door."

Itachi fell silent as the words sunk in; he didn't remember doing anything last night. Was it possible that he relapsed again?

"Captain Yamato, we found the weapon."

Several heads jerked in the direction of the voice and a sharp knife glittered in the light of the bathroom. Itachi's breath caught in his throat as he realized that there was dried blood on the knifes surface, but he didn't remember grabbing a knife at all. He couldn't have done it.

"There's also bloody paper towels in the trash can." The voice added.

"Document all the evidence and head back to the library." Yamato said, "We'll get a blood sample right now and have it sent down to the lab for a toxin analysis."

Itachi struggled against the hands that were holding him down as a small box holding a needle was brought out. The needle was removed and he felt a wet cotton ball brush against his skin, filling his nose with the smell of alcohol. There was a sharp stinging sensation in his arm and he watched as his blood was removed. Once another tube was filled, the technician left the room and he felt cold handcuffs slap around his wrist.

He was hauled to his feet by the brown haired captain and was led outside his room. Behind him, the door shut with a resounding click as the lock slid into place and two of the officers stayed behind to watch the door. It was only then that his eyes took in the scene outside his small room and memories from the night he attacked his parents came back unwillingly. The scene was all too familiar with the thick trail of blood leading from the library to his door and the air that smelt of copper.

His eyes drifted to the numerous crime scene investigators that were crawling over the place, documenting every drop on the floor and dusting the surrounding areas for fingerprints. They had been there that next day as well and he remembered standing next to Madara and the cops while they scoured their house. They were unpleasant memories and he desperately wished for them to vanish from his mind; for this to be a bad dream.

But as the thick cuffs on his wrists pinched his skin uncomfortably, he knew that this wasn't a dream. He was still in reality and he hadn't been stopped once again. The unfamiliar feeling of despair suddenly crashed over his body and Itachi almost stumbled at it. He had killed someone again; he had taken a life against the person's will. Was he really a murderer now?

Itachi shook his head to dispel the thoughts from his mind; that was Sasuke speaking. If this whole thing had come about from the sleepwalking, then it was something he couldn't control. But why couldn't he remember anything like the past two times? At least during those he had thought it was a dream and after he had woken up, he remembered what had happened.

Was he becoming so used to murder now that he didn't bother to remember what he had done anymore? Was it an unconscious way to justify his acts so his mind wasn't burdened with the knowledge?

"Tsunade is waiting for him downstairs in my office." A voice said dragging him from his thoughts, "Second office on the left once you pass the desk."

He glanced up to see Kakashi walking towards his room at the end of the wing and the captain stopped them, "You were the one who called in the 187 this morning? If so we're going to need a quick report."

Kakashi nodded, "I was staying with another doctor until my shift started; his name is Iruka. My shift starts at one for this month and I was a little late starting my rounds, but I think I reached this wing by one-thirty. I saw the blood in the hallway and followed it back to the library where I saw the body. I checked the pulse and after finding none, I called the police."

"Did you step in any blood?" The captain asked and looked at Kakashi's winter boots.

"No, I was careful to avoid all blood pools and I could only check for a pulse on the wrist. And I didn't move him in anyway."

Yamato glanced back at another officer who was jotting the notes down in a small notepad before looking back towards Kakashi, "Thank you doctor. We'll see you downstairs shortly."

They parted and Itachi was pushed forward. Kakashi's door slammed shut behind them and it echoed loudly in the empty hallway. A uniformed officer was waiting for them at the elevator and the doors slid open immediately making Itachi wonder if the officer had been holding it for them. An uneasy silence settled over the small room and Itachi found his gaze on the floor and focused on a small clump of snow that hadn't melted into the carpet yet.

Snow. That meant the storm had passed sometime last night. He had promised Naruto that he would go outside with him today.

Itachi's head jerked upward when he remembered that. They had been in the library last night before he went to bed; had Naruto been in the library during his relapse? No, Naruto would have tried to stop him…unless he had hurt him in the process and didn't realize it.

He bit his tongue to prevent from asking the question. If he questioned it, he would sound suspicious and the police would think something else was happening that they weren't aware of. He would need to wait until his uncle came by to sort everything out.

He was pulled from his thoughts as the elevator doors opened and he was forced into the hallway. Kakashi's office was open and he was forced into a seat in his normal chair that suddenly didn't look very inviting. He looked towards Tsunade doctor sitting behind the desk and he opened his mouth to retort at the rough treatment he had received but decided against it. Tsunade's face was void of emotions as she peered at him and he forced his own to match hers.

"Your uncle has been notified of the situation and is on his way over. I'd advise you not to say anything until he gets here."

Itachi nodded and shifted, trying to get comfortable with the handcuffs on his wrists. He knew that the officers wouldn't take them off until he was either cleared or something else came to light, and he would have to wait for that to happen.

Kakashi swept into the room carrying a small stack of folders and Itachi vaguely noted that the doctor had changed. The folders were set on the desk in front of Tsunade before another set was handed to Yamato. Kakashi moved back from the desk and stood behind Tsunade, blocking the light coming in from the window.

The female doctor looked over the folders in front of her and she let out a sigh, "Captain Yamato, what information do you have about Orochimaru?"

"Time of death was around ten-fifteen last night, judging by the temperature in the liver, and COD was exsanguination from the carotid artery. There were several smaller cuts around the vein as well as the femoral artery, suggesting either experimental cutting or torture. A gag was found in the victims' mouth to prevent screaming and post mortem bruising suggests that there may have been a fight."

Yamato looked up from the autopsy report and set the folder on top of the police report. He leaned back against the wall and looked at Itachi sitting in the chair before glancing at Kakashi. Silence had settled over the room with the only noise to break it coming from the ticking of the clock. He shifted again and Tsunade noted his discomfort and asked Yamato to remove the cuffs. With a nod, the captain unlocked the metal braces and Itachi rubbed his wrists.

The door opened and Itachi's eyes glanced up to see his uncle taking a seat next to him. The man's face was stern and when he spoke, his tone was cold, "What's going on here?"

"Last night at ten-fifteen, Orochimaru was found dead in the centers library. We found blood drops that led to Itachi's room, along with a knife and bloody paper towels in his bathroom." Yamato said and held out a folder, "These are pictures from the crime scene; our lab is still working with some of the finer points but for now we'll need to keep your client under watch."

Madara turned to Kakashi, "What about his condition; doesn't that weigh in here somewhere?"

The doctor shifted slightly and looked at his folders, "Well, you see, this is where it gets…tricky. Originally, we thought that Sasuke caused Itachi's actions, but after a small test, we ruled that out. We also haven't seen him in almost a week so there was no reason that we know of to cause the action."

"But." Madara prompted.

"You see, Itachi was um, dating another resident here at the center, and he was uh, exhibiting slightly possessive actions over Naruto. Orochimaru was often seen touching Naruto and I believe that it could have caused the action that took place last night." He hesitated one more time before continuing, "But I have doubt's that the action was accidental."

"You're saying that Itachi killed him on purpose."

Kakashi nodded cautiously, "When compared to the other two attempts, there is no correlation. For one, Itachi always mentioned that there was some small part that knew what he was doing and something was able to stop him. Judging by his face earlier, he had no idea of what was going on; even after being awake for a while. Not only that, but when I reviewed the first case, Itachi never attempted to clean up the scene or hide evidence. The fact that he took time to hide the knife and wipe off his hands suggests that it was too well planned; something that exceeds the minds capability while asleep."

Yamato grunted, "Perhaps we should search the rest of his room as well as his blood for any toxins that may be in his body." He nodded to some of the police officers standing by the door and they vanished from the room. Once they left, he turned to look at Tsunade, "Is his blood work completed?"

"I'll go check; they should almost be finished with it." Tsunade said as she looked at the clock. "For now, you can only hold him seeing as he is here due to the sleepwalking and-"

She was cut off when the door opened and Tsunade glared at the figure, "Gaara, we're a little busy right now and you're supposed to be in your room."

Gaara shrugged, "Fine, I guess you don't want to know that Naruto is missing then."

Itachi jolted in his chair and Tsunade stood up, "What?"

"He never came back last night, and I can't find him anywhere." Gaara answered, "He said that he wanted to drop off the last chapter to Orochimaru, but that was at ten-thirty."

Yamato hummed, "We found some papers outside of Itachi's room but we didn't know what to make of them. If you saw some of them, could you confirm that they were your roommates' papers?"

Gaara nodded, "Of course." He crossed the room and looked at the photos that were in the folder. His eyes squinted as they tried to read the fine font on the picture but after a while he nodded, "That's part of his chapter. Do you know where he is?"

All the heads in the room turned to Itachi and he scoffed, "I wouldn't harm him."

The door opened again and Shizune entered the room with a drawn face. Tsunade narrowed her eyes and held out her hand; something wasn't right. Her eyes skimmed the paper and she glanced over the paper to look at Itachi. She carefully took in his features before looking back to the paper she was holding.

"Did you have any vivid dreams last night Itachi? Where it seemed so real that you thought it was actually happening?"

Itachi stared at her, "If you must know, I had a dream about clouds and a bird." He stated bluntly. "There was no blood, no weapons, and no other person. Just a bird."

Tsunade pursed her lips in thought and looked back at the paper. "A few weeks ago, we noticed that several cases of medicine had vanished; some of the cases were sleep aides. Melatonin was in one of the cases that disappeared. While vivid dreams are usually a side affect of the medicine, it's not enough to go by." She glanced up again, "But you have unusually high amounts in your blood for it to be normal."

"Does Melatonin knock people out and possibly make them forget something happened?" Yamato asked.

"If taken in a high dosage, yes." She answered.

Madara grunted, "But how would Itachi get a hold of the medicine?"

"Captain Yamato, we found these stashed in the bottom of his dresser."

Several small orange bottles were held up in a plastic bag and Itachi heard Madara curse under his breath. Yamato walked forward to peer at the bottles and after reading the label, he announced it as Melatonin.

"That's nice and all." A cold voice said from the corner, "But Naruto is still missing."

Tsunade rubbed her forehead, "He's right, we need to start searching the wings and call his parents. The center is already locked down, no one can leave their rooms or the building but the doctors; once each room is checked we will leave a doctor in each hallway. Make sure that no one leaves the building; no one has been able to leave since the body was found this morning but I don't want to take any chances. Shizune, start taking a head count and make sure everyone is in their rooms."

The female nodded and swept out of the room. Kakashi volunteered to call Naruto's parents and quickly followed Shizune, leaving the police in the room with Tsunade. She looked over the two Uchiha's before glancing at the police. "I'm going to have you two stay here until things are sorted out. I have to check some of the wings as well and wait for Naruto's parents to get here."

"We'll keep two guards outside so he can't leave." Yamato stated as Tsunade swept towards the door. The police left after she vanished from the room and the door shut, leaving them in silence.

"Out of all the things he could have been, I never expected him to be a doctor." Madara mused.

Itachi turned to his uncle, "Who?"

"Kakashi." He answered, "His father used to own a smaller business when he was younger but your father ended up buying him out. I always thought that Kakashi would still take the business route, not a doctor one."

"Are you going to ask me if I did it?" Itachi asked.

Madara chuckled, "Always to the point. Well, I can't say I know everything about this sleepwalking thing you have, but I know you wouldn't purposely kill someone." Madara waggled his eyebrows, "Even if someone else was messing with your boyfriend."

Itachi scoffed, "Focus."

"Right. I feel I should tell you now that I called Sasuke. He is family and has a right to know what's going on. It was funny though; when I told him that he should come to the center, he said he was already on his way over. Like he was expecting something to happen, or at least the call."

Itachi nodded and glanced out the window where Kakashi had been previously standing. Outside it had stopped snowing and he could see the sun reflecting off the white surface, before clouds covered the light once again. It was still early and if he closed his eyes, he could imagine that this was all a dream and any minute Naruto would be shaking him awake so they could go outside.

The thought of Naruto missing put him on edge and the only condolence he had was that only one body had been found in the library. If he had been the one who attacked Orochimaru, at least Naruto wasn't in the room when he had done the act. But it still begged to question; where was Naruto?

His gaze drifted towards the multitude of diploma's that hung on the wall and he stood up to examine them closer. Behind him, Madara was trying to make sense of the doctor reports and the police reports that sat untouched on the desk. Itachi ignored his uncles' mutterings about doctors' bad handwriting and skimmed over some of the words.

"He graduated at the top of his class?" He asked.

Madara nodded, "Yup, just like you. He's extremely gifted and would have made an excellent businessman if you ask me. I bet he could have found a way to buy back his fathers' business if he had wanted to. His father was rather distraught about losing his company as you can imagine."

"So what made him change his mind?" Itachi murmured.

"Itachi, when the parents come in, don't say anything without consulting me first. They may try to use something in court if it comes down to it; everyone is suing everyone these days."

"It's your job; shouldn't you be happy about that fact?" He asked and his uncle grinned.

Outside the office, there was a loud commotion before the door flew open and Sasuke stalked inside, slamming the door behind him. He nodded to his uncle before looking towards Itachi with a strange gleam in his eyes, "So, from what I hear, you not only killed someone, you killed Naruto as well."

"Did they find him?" Itachi asked.

"I don't know; I just heard the guards talking outside. They said that you were being held for his possible murder. Did he get too annoying for you?"

"Naruto would have stopped me if I tried to attack him; he would know what was going on."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow, "Unless you didn't give him a chance."

"Sasuke, be silent." Madara snapped, "Your brother doesn't need this right now. It's hard enough for him not to know what's going on and he doesn't need you messing with his head. I highly doubt that he killed this man, let alone harmed someone he cares for." He fixed a sharp gaze on Sasuke. "He was able to still his hand when it came to you, didn't he."

Sasuke huffed and leaned against the wall, "That doesn't account for anything."

Itachi moved away from the diploma's and sat in a chair by the wall. An hour had passed already and he wondered if they had any information on Naruto yet. The center wasn't that big that he could just vanish from under everyone's nose, especially if they checked every room in the place. There weren't that many places to hide and he knew that all too well; trying to find a place to avoid Orochimaru had been tough.

There was a knock on the door and Tsunade poked her head back inside the room. If she seemed surprised at seeing Sasuke, her face didn't show it and instead she looked at Madara. "Naruto's parents just arrived; they'll be here in a few moments."

Madara nodded and the atmosphere suddenly grew tense. Itachi wasn't sure why he was so nervous, in a grotesque type of way, it wasn't their son that he killed, nor was he the reason behind his disappearance **.** He hoped.

Sasuke drifted to a spot behind Kakashi's desk and took a position by the window, allowing the sun to warm his back while he waited for the drama to start. Looking at his brothers' face, he had a hard time placing the emotions that had to be hidden behind locked eyes. There was no way he wasn't nervous or hurting in anyway. It reminded him of his original reason why he came here and he scowled at the thought.

It was all Naruto's fault, if he hadn't gotten close to Itachi like he wanted, all of this would have been avoided. He wasn't sure who he disliked more at the moment, his brother or Naruto.

Itachi sat up in his seat as the door opened and Tsunade ushered two people into the room before disappearing from the office again. His eyes widened when they took in the male, who looked like an older version of Naruto; then that would mean… His gaze drifted to the redhead who stood next to him and he realized that the male had an arm wrapped around her waist in a comforting hold.

The door was opened again and Itachi briefly wondered if it was starting to feel abused today. He shook his head at the ridiculous thought and instead focused on Kakashi.

"Minato, I'm sorry that you had to come here under such grave circumstances." Kakashi said and gestured to a chair.

Minato gave a small smile, "Hello Kakashi, it's nice to see you too. I haven't seen or heard from you in months and you can't even give me a decent hello? I'm hurt; you know you're like family."

Oh yes, this was defiantly Naruto's father.

Kakashi flushed slightly, "Well, I thought that all things considering, you would want the facts right away."

"I do want to know what has happened to my son, but I don't like formal things and I know I taught you to always get to know your patients on a first name basis." He waved a hand as he sat down, "But if you want, tell me what is going on."

The doctor looked around for another chair and after finding none, simply kneeled down so they were slightly eye level. "Naruto's missing right now; we have every doctor available looking for him, but so far we haven't found him."

Minato let out a sigh, "That's it? The way you sounded on the phone made it sound like he had been killed. Not that I'm not concerned about his disappearance, but I was expecting something much worse."

Itachi blinked and he could have sworn that Kakashi's eyes flickered in his direction before the doctor continued, "Well, we're not one hundred percent sure that he's not injured. There was another accident last night where someone was murdered and we haven't seen Naruto since then. They found papers from his chapter near the crime scene; I'm so sorry."

A shadow drifted over Itachi and he forced himself to look up. The redheaded female looked down at him before she squatted in front of him.

"You're Naruto's mother." He stated.

She nodded, "Yes, I'm Kushina; you must be Itachi." Itachi stiffened and she smiled softly and Itachi was reminded of his mothers smile, "The center called when Naruto was attacked; standard procedure of course. Truthfully, I was about ready to come up here and pummel you, but Naruto called and told me that he was okay. He was a little hoarse on the phone, but he told me that you didn't mean to hurt him, although he wouldn't say why you hurt him."

Itachi flinched at the harsh reminder. He was hoping that perhaps Naruto's parents hadn't been informed about the accident but somewhere in his mind he knew they had been.

"I don't know why you're here, but I can see it in your eyes that you're still hurt over the accident. You never meant to hurt him, did you?"

"Never." He croaked out, "I even tried to keep him away after that night so I wouldn't hurt him again; that didn't work out too well."

Kushina giggled, "He's rather stubborn, isn't he?" She looked him over, "But I don't think you hurt Naruto and I don't think you're the reason for his disappearance last night."

Itachi glanced over her shoulder where Kakashi was still talking to Minato. "Do they do this often?"

She looked behind her before turning back towards Itachi, "Kakashi took a lot of classes in college under my husband. They're good friends and Minato was the reason Kakashi decided to become a doctor." There was a slight pause, "He was also the one who suggested that Naruto come here for observation."

Itachi nodded his head slowly as Kushina stood up and moved back towards her husband. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and looked down at Kakashi to ask him a question. The doctor stood up quickly and Itachi almost laughed at the height difference. Maybe that was why Naruto was so short.

The thought sobered him quickly though and his eyes drifted away from the small group to where Sasuke was standing. His brother hadn't moved since Naruto's parents had come in and he wondered if he was trying to be discrete given the history he had with Naruto. Sasuke's gaze was cast outside the window and he seemed to be focused on something outside. Itachi shifted slightly so he could see what his brother was looking at.

From his chair, he could just make out the tip of the greenhouse and he looked away from it. His eyes wondered back to Kakashi as he watched the doctor trying to explain everything that had happened while trying to offer comfort to Minato. Minato's back was now to him and he couldn't see the man's face but judging from the tightening of his shoulders; he wasn't happy. Kushina gave his shoulder a small squeeze and Minato relaxed slightly.

At the gesture, Itachi smiled softly. It was obvious that the two cared for each other deeply and it made him wish that he could hold Naruto again. Itachi turned to look back at Sasuke whose eyes were narrowed in anger and his whole body looked like it was tight with anticipation. Dark emotions swirled in the depths of his eyes and Itachi's gaze darted back to Kakashi.

His eyes widened briefly, before they swept back to his brother again. He recognized the emotions in those dark eyes; the feelings of jealousy and love were rarely hidden under great amounts of stress. He had seen them often in his brother when Sasuke was younger and craving attention and he had thought that he had seen the last of them years ago.

He should have known that he would never escape them.

Itachi shifted slightly and his eyes focused on the only visible thing outside the window, despite his brothers' body blocking it from view. Sasuke's head jerked up as if he felt the intense glare that was directed at his body and he glared back at Itachi; eyes flashing.

The epiphany rushed over his body like cold water and Itachi's heart started to race while three words dropped from Itachi's mouth in a whisper.

"Oh my God."


	14. Footprints in the Snow

It's always strange how when something becomes clear, everything else connects as well. It's like studying for a test, where the first few times you don't remember the answers but there will be a certain point in time when suddenly everything will come to you. After that point, a sense of calm rushes over your body and for the longest time you feel as if you're sitting in a haze before the world starts to speed up once again…especially when the circumstances are against you.

Then you realize how daunting the situation can really be.

At the realization, all other things blank out and the only thing you can hear is your heart racing in your ears as it moves the blood through your body. But that feeling quickly turns to dread and your blood turns to ice underneath your skin while you break out into a cold sweat. Realization often comes at a heavy price and more often than not, the answer was always right in front of you; dancing around you in a dangerous dance, waiting for you to slip.

And the question is; are you ready to face what you have just learned?

* * *

Despite every nerve in Itachi's body that wanted him to bolt out of the room, he willed himself to sit still. He was still considered a prime suspect; the only suspect at that and he had no way of proving his innocence. The real killer had made certain of that.

Instead, he was forced to sit still and try to look indifferent while he continued to watch everyone in the room. As the interactions continued, it only cemented his belief and he squirmed in his chair impatiently. He was playing with fire and there was no doubt, he would be burnt in the process, but sitting back and not saying anything was worse. Burns can be healed or ignored, but death is forever.

Itachi felt naked to the world as he tried to grasp the truth that raced around his head. It was as if it was trying to claw its way out of his mind and was slowly tearing at him while everyone stared down at him in disgust. He had seen the discrete glances cast his way by not only his brother but by Kakashi and Minato and he desperately wanted to scream that he didn't do it. But he wouldn't act like a little child in this case.

The killer was playing a dangerous game and he was going to respond back with one just as dangerous. He truthfully had nothing to lose seeing as everyone thought he was guilty, but he had everything to gain from it. He knew he was smart enough to play the game, but there were still several pieces that could fall anyway and it was the element of uncertainty that made everything so dangerous. Itachi's eyes slid shut while he linked his fingers together and rested his chin on them.

In his mind, he started to work backwards at a slow pace. Reviewing everything that he knew now and trying to connect it to things that had happened in the past, and more importantly, the events that had just unfolded. All other noises disappeared until nothing but silence surrounded him while he carefully shifted through the information. Everything was there for the taking and he knew it all, but the next step of this game was to find the correct piece to play the first part.

Someone who knew what to look for and could work under the radar. And more importantly; loyal.

"Sai."

Madara glanced up from his papers and looked towards him, "What?"

"Call Sai and get him down here."

His uncle looked at him, "It's his day off today and why would you want him here? Last I checked, you didn't like him."

"That may be, but I would like another opinion before anymore fingers are pointed at me."

"Itachi, he can't work on this case; he's family."

Itachi smirked, "Not legitimately, he removed himself again last summer. He's free to work this case."

Madara inclined his head, "I'll page him then, although I don't know what you're expecting to find."

"Trust me on this one."

Madara shrugged before pulling out his phone and Itachi turned his attention away from his uncle. His gaze settled on Kakashi who was looking at his watch and telling Minato that they needed to leave. Minato was still a little tense due to the fact that his son hadn't been found yet and Itachi was glad that he wasn't turning his wrath on him.

Kakashi ushered the parents out the door and looked back at Itachi, "I'm going to let them speak with Tsunade for a while and then I'll be back so we can talk about last night. We'll need to document everything that you may have remembered as well as your…unusual dream."

The door shut behind them and Itachi stood up, relieved to finally be able to move again. He wanted to pace the office floor and tell Madara everything he suspected but he needed one more confirming piece of evidence before he could talk. His feet led him to the window and he looked down at Sasuke.

His brother glared up at him and snarled, "What?"

"I need you to move for a moment Sasuke." He said, voice deathly calm.

Sensing an unmentioned threat, Sasuke moved to the side after snorting softly. Once he moved out of the way, Itachi stepped forward and glanced out of the window while his heart raced anxiously. Sure enough, the greenhouse was visible from the window and it was with growing dread that he realized the building could be seen from the desk area as well. A shiver ran through his body as his eyes focused on the snow outside.

His eyes narrowed at the powder substance and he placed a hand on the cold surface of the window, "Has anyone been allowed outside?"

Madara looked at him, "The entire building has been on lock down since the body was found this morning. It was hard enough to get inside; I can only imagine how hard it is to get out right now. Why?"

Itachi strained his neck to try and see around the window's edge before he pulled back a bit. Earlier this morning Tsunade had said that, the building was completely shut down and that no one was allowed outside.

So why were there footprints in the freshly powdered snow?

"I know where Naruto is."

His uncle leaned forward in his chair, "You're still under suspicion Itachi and you'll need proof that you didn't do it; besides Naruto's word."

"I realize that." Itachi answered and moved from the window, "I need to see the police report."

"It's on the desk and Sai said he's on his way over."

Itachi nodded absently and picked up the folder. He wasn't a CSI and he didn't know what he was looking for, but he needed something that would allow Sai to search the building for him. His eyes skimmed over the details about Orochimaru's death and he pushed aside the crime scene pictures. He didn't want to see the bloodied man lying on the floor; it almost seemed disrespectful. Instead, he started to read the reports that were collected by several of the officers.

' _Call came in at 12:45A.M., reported by Dr. Iruka Umino. Police were informed at 12:50 and dispatched ten minutes later.' – Report filed and documented by Asuma (phone records available for review)_

That would work.

A knock sounded at the door before a loud stream of cursing came from the other end. The door was flung open and a pale body slipped through the small opening while angry voices echoed down the hallway. Black eyes danced in amusement at the voices before they turned to the trio of Uchiha's, "That was fun, we should do this more often."

"Sai…" Madara exclaimed, "You're not here to instigate trouble."

"I know; I'm here to investigate the trouble that my ex-cousin created." He looked at Itachi, "By the way, I received a speeding ticket on the way over here; you'll have to pay for it. Along with the fine for not stopping for the coppers."

"Fine." Itachi answered, already feeling a headache coming on, "Look at this report and tell me if it sounds right."

Sai cautiously took the folder out of Itachi's hand and started to flip through it. He let out a whistle as he looked at the pictures, "I give credit to the killer; they did a nice job with the body. These cuts are expertly done; I'd say that someone with medical knowledge would have made them." His eyes continued to skim the documents and a small frown tugged at his lips. "Is this it? The crime scene reports aren't that informative; it's like someone didn't document everything."

Itachi nodded, "I know there's a report in there that's wrong too. It says the first person to call in the body was a doctor named Iruka, but when I was with the captain, he interviewed another doctor. He said that he was the first one to call it in."

"Do you think they're working together?" Madara asked. "You know them the best."

"No. I don't see Iruka having any part in this." He looked at Sai, "All the rooms were supposed to be checked for a missing patient."

"Tell me about my suspect and missing person."

"The missing patient is a young blond male, around Sasuke's height. The person you're looking for is going to be taller than me with silver hair and I want you to check for evidence in his room."

A grin stretched across Sai's face, "Undercover CSI work, eh? Alright, who's the lucky person?"

"Kakashi Hatake. Last night he gave me a drink after mine…spilled; a little after that was when I started to feel tired. I think he might have slipped some of the sleep aid into the drink; he would have access to that kind of medicine. I know you'll find something of value in his room."

There were other reasons of course, ranging from the subtle glares that were directed at him when he was with Naruto and thinking back to his first few days; Kakashi never told him about the visiting day. It could have been possible that he purposely didn't tell him so he was stuck at the center all day.

The other male inclined his head, "I'm starting to enjoy this. I'll be back with your proof."

Itachi watched as Sai vanished from the room, drawing several more shouts of annoyance before silence overtook the hallway again. Even though Sai often acted immature, he was very serious about his job and enjoyed poking around in other people's personal lives. Sniffing around for dirt in Kakashi's room would be something he took great pleasure in. And more importantly, he was loyal, despite his outward appearance.

And he owed Itachi a favor or two.

* * *

If someone had told Sai that he was going to get to play detective today, he would have shrugged. It was his job after all, nothing different from his normal day-to-day operations. But when he received the call from his uncle, he was more than interested; his whole body shivered with excitement. He knew that his ex-cousin had been diagnosed with something that put him in a rehabilitation center, but he never went into the specifics.

All he knew was that one-day Itachi was fine and the next the family was in an uproar over a murder that happened at the main house. A few weeks after that, the news died down but faint whispers still floated around the Uchiha line that Fugaku's methods in raising his children may have been too harsh; thus making Itachi snap.

Whatever the case, he decided not to investigate, figuring that Itachi was stressed enough. And so the months faded into winter and suddenly he had a call to come see his old family. While he didn't consider himself an Uchiha right now, his own blood still boiled at the thoughts of someone trying to frame his own flesh and blood and he wanted to get to the bottom of this.

Itachi didn't give a room number to him, but after slipping through the hallways, he finally found a room with a small plaque and finely etched words. The room was at the end of the hall, almost next to the elevator and at the cross section of all the other corridors, allowing the doctor easy access to every part of the wings. He carefully examined the doorknob before pulling some gloves on and started to get to work.

To his body, it didn't seem any different than any other crime scene. He still moved with careful practice when it came to dusting for prints and checking for blood. His body was trained to handle the situation with ease and with the skill of an artist; he removed a full print from the doorknob.

Murder was an art of itself; it was his job to try to decode the meaning behind the work.

After documenting his minute find, he pulled out a small cotton swab and ran it over the handle. The faulty police report was enough to allow him to go into the doctors' room, but he wanted more. Sai grabbed the phenolphthalein in his kit and let a few drops fall onto the surface. The swab didn't change colors so either the doctor wore gloves or cleaned the handle well.

With a small sigh, he pulled out a bottle of luminol and sprayed the surface. The doctor may be smart, but he was smarter; and he had better equipment. His eyes danced as the handle lit up on the underside where the doctor didn't clean as well. He grunted as he stood up and tested the door, relieved to find it unlocked; he didn't want to track down a janitor.

The room was dark when he entered, but his other senses quickly kicked in. His nose curled at the onslaught of cleaning chemicals that drifted through the room and he knew that Itachi's hunch was probably correct. With a snap, the light clicked on and Sai started to move around the room.

Surprisingly, the room was rather messy when compared to the doctors' office and he wondered if last night had something to do with the mess. Sai stepped over a pile of jumbled blankets that had fallen on the floor and moved to the bed. Most people tried to hide evidence such as weapons under the mattress and he carefully lifted it up.

Finding nothing, he set it back down and proceeded to look under the bed, but came up with the same results. Judging from the ligature marks on the body, a small knife was used and he would go as far to guess that it was a surgical one. They were often small and made fine cuts, meaning it would be harder to find the weapon and he cursed the doctors' use of a tiny knife.

Sai picked a delicate path to the adjoining bathroom and his eyes skimmed over the area. It was slightly messy, but nowhere near the mess in the bedroom and the smell of bleach hung heavily in the air. The sound of water dripping grabbed his attention and he turned towards the shower. The curtain was open and water droplets slowly slid down the wet walls.

He wouldn't find anything in the bathroom. If everything had been cleaned here, he was certain that all the evidence had been dissolved in the bleach. Sai turned to leave the room, thinking that he could find better evidence at the murder scene. The smallest flash of white caught his eye and he paused mid-step.

A small white cloth was poking out of a drawer and he knelt down to inspect it. The fabric dripped with wetness as continued to look at it while he breathed lightly through his mouth. His thought was that it was chloroform and if that was the case, it would explain why there was very little struggle in the pictures. Sai guessed that the suspect might have fought at first when the rag was placed over his mouth and caused a small mess.

But there was still something that didn't make sense. The experimental cuts that he had seen on the body made it seem like the killing was personal, so why would the doctor want the suspect completely knocked out. Judging from the way the liquid dripped from the rag, the amount would have been enough to knock them out for a long time.

Sai shifted on his heals and found that his line of sight was directly in line with the bed. Perhaps this rag hadn't been used on the suspect, but instead the missing person that Itachi was talking about. If the doctor had kept his victim in the room, he would have placed him on the bed so he could watch him while he cleaned up.

His eyes settled onto the pile of blankets that were at the foot of the bed and slowly stood up. Once he reached the bed, he stood over it and analyzed it with a critical eye. There wasn't anything off about the mattress; it looked like the doctor hadn't made his bed though. But if he had indeed placed the boy on the surface and he woke up…

Sai crossed his arms and looked in the direction of the door. The sheets on the bed were yanked in the direction of the door, indicating that someone had gotten out of bed rather quickly and pulled the top sheet with them. He could imagine the other male waking up and seeing the doctor cleaning blood from his instruments before bolting towards an exit.

Sai's eyes settled on the nightstand table where it was standing slightly crooked. He could see the indents from where it stood previously and he wondered if the male ran into it while trying to run away. Sai knelt next to it and his gaze narrowed at the fine hairs that were caught on the corner. He pulled them out and examined them in a better light.

The blond hairs shimmered at him before he placed them in a small bag and wrote down a brief description. Once that was done, he made his way back to the bed and leaned over it, trying to find something of importance. It seemed that it was the center of the room, seeing as the doctor could watch it from the bathroom and it was always within view.

A small wet spot caught his attention and he leaned in closer. It looked like someone had dripped water on the sheet but he was starting to wonder if perhaps it was the chloroform. The doctor could have caught the escapee and subdued him on the bed with the chemical. And with the heavy amount on the cloth, he would have been knocked out in no time.

But there still would have been a struggle getting him to the bed and restraining him for a brief moment. His eyes fell on the covers that were on the floor again and he pondered why the doctor hadn't placed them back on the bed. Surely it would made the room look more innocent at a first glance, seeing as it looked like a struggle had taken place earlier.

Perhaps the man had run out of time?

Sai moved over to the blankets and lifted a corner up, expecting to see a body of some type but all he found were more blankets. He started to separate them layer by layer and froze when he heard plastic rustling underneath the fabrics. Nestled between two blankets was a small trash bag filled with clothes with the smallest hint of a red smear on the side.

He let the covers drop back down and he leaned on his heals in thought. Things still weren't adding up. You have to be smart enough to make people think that someone else committed a murder while you sit back and watch. Judging from the information that his uncle had told him, the person was trying to set Itachi up for some reason.

If that were the case, then everything would have worked out; the evidence that had been dropped led a straight path to Itachi. But it was this room that had thrown a corkscrew in the whole thing. And it wasn't just the room, it was the whole thought process behind it. Judging from the chloroform used earlier, the doctor seemed to know what he was doing, but the rag in the bathroom suggested that the amount given might have been accidental.

Sai grunted; not only that, but everything in the room seemed to suggest that the events had been rushed. That shouldn't have been the case since everything had been laid out almost perfectly. What had caused the doctor to become so careless?

Was it because he was in his own room and he felt more secure?

People often committed acts in the privacy of their own domain because they felt as ease in the familiar setting.

Standing up, Sai grabbed the blankets and removed the bag of bloodied clothes before spreading out the covers onto the bed. If the covers had been on top of the bed at the start, there must have been a reason the doctor didn't put them back on. He arranged the bedspread on the surface and tried to remake the bed as it could have looked before they fell off.

He started at the top of the bed where he found a few strands of blond hair laying on the pillow, indicating that the male had been laying in the middle of the bed. His eyes moved down the mattress and froze when they picked out a few small white spots on the comforter. Sai felt his heart start to speed up and he swallowed uncomfortably.

It would be considered normal for any male, but the marks would normally be visible on the sheets where they wouldn't be seen and not the bedspread

Sai reached for a small light in his kit along with some orange glasses all the while praying that he was wrong. But when the bedspread lit up under the light, he knew that his fears were confirmed.

Itachi never mentioned that the doctor was infatuated with the blond.

This would explain why the covers had removed so quickly and tossed onto the floor inside out. He could only imagine the fear the blond felt upon waking up naked with evidence of a previous action on his body. And seeing the doctor cleaning blood off of a knife would have made things much worse. He would have tried to bolt and the doctor was forced to knock him out again but in his hurry, he poured too much on the rag.

He set the glasses in the case and put the light up with a sigh. Sometimes the best-laid plans could fall apart due to uncontrollable lust and the doctor's choice to partake in the action was his biggest slip up.

Voices outside echoed down the hallway and Sai froze as they headed in his direction. Sai felt his blood run cold as the door swung open and he found himself face to face with an officer.

"What are you doing in here?" The officer snarled, "This is a restricted area."

"Then what are you doing here?" Sai countered.

The brown-haired officer growled and strode forward, catching Sai's upper arm. "I haven't seen you before from any of the staff that was interviewed. You're going to have to come with me."

Cold cuffs settled around Sai's wrists and he was yanked forward, all the while cursing the cop. This wasn't supposed to happen; he needed to tell someone what he found before the doctor decided to take things further with the blond.

A door was shoved open and he stumbled into the room. A slow smirk crossed his face as his eyes settled on three bodies that he knew all too well.

"Hello family."

* * *

It took all of Itachi's self-control not to strangle Sai. The male sat next to him with a knowing smile plastered across his face. Behind him, Madara was massaging the bridge of his nose and Sasuke watched them with a blank stare. The youngest Uchiha had been oddly silent during the whole time Sai was gone and it made Itachi wondered what was running through his mind. He forced his attention back to Tsunade who was looking at them as the captain reported his findings.

"We found him in Dr. Hatake's room. Seeing as he's related to the accused, I think he was planting evidence."

"I wasn't planting evidence!" Sai snapped and looked towards Tsunade, "I'm a certified CSI, and I was called down here on behalf of my family."

The captain leered at him, "Even if you were gathering evidence, you're family and anything you find won't count."

"Actually he's our cousin from our fathers, brothers, uncle…area." Itachi said softly.

"Twice removed, or three. Does it count if you remove yourself from the family name?" Sai piped up

Tsunade rubbed her temples, "Why would you suggest that there would be foul play in my center? More importantly, why would you even suggest Kakashi?"

Sai turned to Itachi, "This is where you take over; I'll butt in when I hear my cues."

Itachi grunted, "There are two police reports on who called the body in. One says that Iruka called it in, the other states that Kakashi did." He looked towards the brown-haired doctor in the room, "Iruka, was Kakashi with you last night?"

The man shook his head, "No, Kakashi told me that he was working an early shift that was going to start at ten. I found the body a little after twelve-thirty and called it in. There was no one else on duty at the time."

"But he told us that his shift started at one." An officer piped up from the side, "And that he called it in; or at least that's what he told our captain."

Tsunade's face grew stern, "Kakashi wasn't supposed to be on shift last night. He was off night shifts for the entire week." Her gaze drifted towards the other doctor, "I would suggest you get your ducks lined up Hatake."

"If I may?" Sai spoke up gently, "Before I searched his room, there was blood on the door handle and I found evidence of chloroform and bloodied clothing. I also looked over the reports given to both Madara Uchiha and yourself. There are several bits of information missing and I would like to view the crime scene myself."

"Are you suggesting foul play?"

"That among other things." The ex-Uchiha said and inclined his head slightly, "For the privacy of the missing patient, I would like to reveal my findings in a more…private setting."

Tsunade nodded, "I understand." She looked up at Yamato, "Captain Yamato, can you please escort Dr. Hatake to a secure room until I can question him further."

Yamato bobbed his head, "I'll watch him myself." He grabbed Kakashi by his arm and led him out of the room while the rest of the officers followed him out.

Once they were gone, Tsunade looked at Sai again, "What does Kakashi have to do with Naruto?"

"I believe he may have taken him." Itachi said, "But I know where he is."

Madara leaned over towards him, "You're still under watch, I would suggest against it."

A sudden chill seemed to blanket the room and Itachi stiffened as a warm hand cautiously wrapped around his neck, "If you know where my son is, I'd suggest you tell me now." The voice whispered in his ear, "I'm having a hard enough time trying to follow that one of my best students would harm him, let alone be a murderer."

Itachi nodded carefully, "I know it's hard to understand, but I can tell you now that I would never harm Naruto. And I don't think Kakashi wants to hurt him either."

"Explain."

Sai cleared his throat, "I ah, examined the bed in the doctors' room. The top most covers were on the floor and covering a bag of soiled and bloody clothes. The sheets were yanked in the direction of the door but the nightstand table was moved, suggesting that your son either ran into it or was tackled to the ground. I found some blond hair on the side, so he might have hit his head. There was also a rag soaked in what I believe is chloroform, but I still need to test it."

"That still doesn't explain why Kakashi took my son." Minato said lowly.

Sai squirmed, "After placing the covers back on the bed, I found some stains on the surface. Under fluorescent light, the stain turned purple…indicating sexual activities. I think my cousin knows this as well, but I would have to venture a guess that your student holds a small infatuation with your son."

The hand around Itachi's neck loosened and Minato turned away from him. Madara regarded the elder Uzumaki carefully before looking towards Tsunade, "We can point fingers later. If Itachi's hunch is correct then Naruto may be in more danger than we realized. I've dealt with cases before dealing with people who are obsessed with others. They often place them on a pedestal and think that they can do no wrong, but when something happens to change their view on them, they often turn to violence."

Tsunade laced her fingers together, "Do you know where his is Itachi?"

Everyone in the room shifted their attention towards Itachi and Itachi glanced at them carefully. He could see the anticipation in their eyes as they waited for him to speak. Even Sasuke was staring at him with slight interest from the chair he sat in.

"I believe he is in the greenhouse." He answered, "We had snow last night, there are footprints leading towards it, and no one should have been outside. You can also see the building from the window; allowing Kakashi to watch it."

The doctor stood up, "Very well. We'll go down to the greenhouse. Sai, you can go look over the crime scene and report your findings back to me."

Sai nodded and everyone else stood from their chairs. Silence reined over the small party as they donned heavy jackets and boots before heading towards the side door. The police at the door entrance nodded at them and opened the door before following them outside.

Itachi felt his heart race as the door was opened and white snow overtook his world. It was past noon and he had no idea how long Naruto had been outside and what kind of condition he was in. Fear coursed through his veins though as he remembered the report that Sai gave and he hoped that Kakashi hadn't gone too far in his actions.

He didn't know how well his theory on why Kakashi took Naruto was correct, but he was certain that it started from a deeply rooted want that stemmed further than Naruto. He desired something else and this was going to be the best he could get.

They froze as footsteps clearly accented the snow and Itachi placed a booted foot next to the impression.

"It's too big." Tsunade said. "Even if Itachi was trying to frame Kakashi by using a bigger shoe size, the impressions would be scattered. The snow is too thick to break a path easily while carrying a body if your shoes are too big for you."

Minato nodded and held his wife as Madara approached the greenhouse door. The redhead buried her head in his shoulder for fear of the outcome while one of the officers opened the door.

Warm air rushed out at them and Itachi breathed in the moist dirt smell before taking a cautious step inside the room. His eyes darted around the spacious area, trying to locate Naruto but nothing stood out. He moved in further while trying to find a hint that could point in the right direction and he hoped that he hadn't guessed wrong.

He felt his body start to shake at the thought and it almost made him break down. The idea of loosing another person close to him was unbearable and he didn't want to think about it. Even if Sasuke was still alive, his brother didn't want anything to do with him and that alone hurt enough. But loosing Naruto was even worse.

Itachi continued towards the back of the greenhouse and froze when his foot stepped on something softer than the concrete floor. He stepped back slowly and realized that he had walked on the corner of a blanket. Dark eyes followed the material up from the ground as the light colored fabric seamlessly blended into the shelf.

His breathing quickened as he pulled the blanket back and pale skin met his eyes. The skin was cold to the touch as he carefully rolled the body onto its back and as the blanket fell back, blond hair cascaded out. It framed the face carefully and was tinted red near the forehead. A small trickle of blood had made its way down Naruto's face and had soaked the gag in his mouth.

"Naruto…" He breathed.

Itachi shifted slightly so he could lift the body from the lower shelf and onto his lap. Once Naruto was free from the wooden shelf, he quickly checked for a pulse and found one fluttering under his fingers, despite the blue tint to his lips. He pulled Naruto closer to his body and buried his face into Naruto's hair. It didn't smell like it usually did and he could detect the faintest hints of chemicals on his body.

Itachi felt the blanket slip a little and he went to grab it. Naruto was cold enough as it was; he needed every bit of warmth. His hands froze though as they touched skin instead of clothing and Itachi sucked in a quick breath. He hugged Naruto tighter before standing up; they needed to get him inside and checked before anything else.

The light was bright when he stepped outside and he heard Kushina gasp when she saw the motionless body in his arms.

"He's alive." He reassured them quickly, "Just unconscious…and he's not dressed."

Minato stiffened at the news and Itachi moved forward to hand him to Minato, but he shook his head. "I have other needs that must be looked at first."

Itachi nodded at the comment and watched as he tried to calm his wife down. He could see the anger flashing in the dark blue eyes and he knew that Minato wanted to hunt someone down, but his first job was to his family. Itachi was glad that Minato trusted him to handle his son while he comforted his wife. He pulled Naruto closer to his body as Tsunade approached him.

"We'll need to get him inside so we can look at him. He's going to need some fluids in his system and we'll check him over to make sure nothing else happened to him." The doctor paused, "I don't think you did this Itachi, but you should know that you are still a suspect. I need to hear Kakashi's side of the story first and read the new reports about the crime scene before you can be cleared."

"I understand."

Madara fell into step with him as they broke a path through the snow and he looked at Itachi, "You still know something."

"I don't want to say it now, the tension is too high and this news will be equally upsetting if I'm correct."

Madara nodded, "Very well, but when you see the man; don't let your emotions override your actions. Your little blond won't like it if he wakes up and you're not there to tell him everything is okay."

Sasuke snorted, "How did you ever make it out of law school acting like this? No one would want to hire you."

"Because I'm one of the best out there." He stated happily and followed Itachi through the door, "Now, we're going to have to wait until Sai gets back to hear his report before deciding where to go. If your brother is correct, then we don't have much to fear, but I want to be on the safe side."

The youngest Uchiha watched as Itachi set Naruto down onto the bed and carefully brushed a strand of hair out of his face. The doctor pushed him out of the room while another in blue scrubs stepped forward to start examining him. He looked over his brother carefully, noting the relaxed face on his profile and the calm that had settled in his eyes.

It had been a while since he remembered seeing that look on his brothers' face. As they had grown up and their father pushed more responsibilities on them, Itachi had become more stubborn in his jobs. He had always believed that he was trying to keep their father from giving him a job at the company since he wanted it for himself, but now he wondered who was right.

Their father was a good man and he loved him, but looking back, was it possible that he had pushed too hard? All parents want the best for their children, but some push harder than others; often pushing their own desires onto their offspring. Sasuke could easily remember the long-winded fights between his father and Itachi regarding when he could start working with the company.

Sasuke leaned against the wall while Itachi was allowed to change from his sleepwear and was given some food. His past memories overwhelmed him and his eyes slowly cast in the direction of the room Naruto was in. After the accident, Itachi had shut himself away from the world, including his own brother. Part of him had felt betrayed, thinking that he closed himself away because he was guilty.

Like a flowing stream, it had caused a rift between the two.

For the past months, he had convinced himself that Itachi was indeed guilty due to the lack of emotion. But watching his actions now sparked something inside Sasuke that made him believe that perhaps his brother was innocent.

But that didn't mean he forgave him.

Nor was that the reason for his being here.

* * *

After a quick shower and change of clothes, Itachi felt much better and was now itching to see Naruto. Tsunade had said that he was being examined for any physical trauma while they waited for him to wake up. The doctor was talking to Minato and Kushina about the whole ordeal now that the redhead had calmed down.

Minato still had a murderous intent surrounding him and he was constantly trying to relax his shoulders. The idea that someone he trusted had hurt his son was weighing heavily on his mind and it tore at him. He wanted someone to tell him that they were wrong and Kakashi was innocent, but almost everything pointed to him.

There was a knock on the door and Sai entered. Tsunade glanced up at him and Sai smiled tiredly.

"I've done as much as I can here. You have enough to hold him until my lab can process the DNA, fingerprints and everything else collected at the scene. I still need to go back to his room and collect the samples there for testing, but I'm certain he's your guy."

He set a folder on Tsunade's desk and she looked at it, "I won't understand much of this Sai."

Sai nodded, "Okay. To start with, there was silver hair on the victims' body that looks consistent with the hair I collected from his room. There was a small cloth underneath a chair next to the body. It's dry right now, but I would guess that it had chloroform on it. There was a small struggle so your victim fought back, probably scratching the doctor. I was able to pull skin out from under his nails, but I'll have to look at in the lab."

He stopped to make sure everyone was following before continuing, "The experimental cuts indicate that he wanted to prolong his suffering, so this kill must have also been personal to him. He bled out due to a larger cut at the neck done with a larger knife. The other smaller cuts were made with a smaller knife; probably a surgical one."

Tsunade rested her chin on her fingers, "We have officers watching Kakashi right now. I still need to talk to him before you take him anywhere." She glanced towards the rest of the group, "On the plus side, my doctors' have given me Naruto's folder. Besides the small cut on his head, there were no other injuries."

"We did check for any type of sexual intercourse and found none thankfully, although she did comment that there were several bite marks on his torso and neck. His body temperature is a little low and he's still asleep but you may go see him if you would like."

Itachi wanted to squirm in his chair like a child trying to get attention, but he forced himself still. He knew that Naruto's parents would want to see him first and he could wait until they were done. A hand dropped onto his shoulder and he looked up to see Kushina standing over him, smiling softly.

"Come on, he'll want to see you too."

A small smile slipped across his face as he stood up and followed Naruto's parents. No words were exchanged as they moved down the hallway and Minato paused as he passed an officer.

"Go ahead, I want to ask him if they can place some cops around Naruto's room."

They nodded as he darted after the man and continued towards the door. When they reached it, the redhead pushed him forward a little. "I'll be right behind you."

Pale fingers wrapped around the door handle and pushed it open, shivering as the warm temperature rushed over his body. The room smelt heavily of medicine and he wrinkled his nose at the smell. He took a few steps into the hallway, trying to walk as quietly as possible since Naruto was still asleep.

Itachi froze when he walked into the room. Sitting on Naruto's bed was a soft shadow, framed by the light coming from behind the window. Naruto's head was cradled in the shadows lap and he could make out the faintest motions of fingers threading through his hair. Its head slowly turned to meet them and Kakashi's dark eyes met his. A knife glittered in the light next to Naruto's neck.

Kakashi grinned, "Shh, he's still sleeping."


	15. Genius vs. Genius

There are times in life where you refuse to believe that you're correct and you frantically wish that you were wrong. Those are the times when you want nothing more than to close your eyes and try to pretend that you're asleep and the horrible truth isn't lying in front of you. But life can never be simple for anyone and more times than not, those things that you wish were wrong turn out to be right.

To make matters worse, you're usually the one that has to deal with the consequences; whether you wished for it or not.

* * *

Itachi's heartbeat was loud in his ears and for what seemed like an eternity; it was the only thing he could hear. His heart raced faster than the beeping of the monitors in the room and he knew that Naruto was still asleep and had no idea of what was going on outside his dream world. Some part of his mind breathed a sigh of relief at the thought while the other half worried that it left him more vulnerable.

There are very few times when a human leaves themselves open for an attack. Sleeping was one of them.

It was the one time that your guard was completely dropped and even those who had trained themselves to wake up at the slightest noises would often slip into a deep sleep at times. Eventually, everyone succumbed to the desire to drop into a heavy sleep and leave all the troubles of the world outside while they escaped to a hidden paradise.

Soft footsteps stilled behind him and he held out his hand to stop the redhead from moving any further. He felt her body tense against his arm and Kakashi's grin grew wider at the sight of her face.

"Naruto…" She breathed and tried to push past Itachi's arm so she could get to her son. Maternal instinct was racing through her body as the doctor shifted and the knife glittered in the light.

Another presence behind Itachi made itself known and he glanced back to see Minato standing in the shadows of the hallway. His eyes were dark from the lighting but Itachi could quickly see anger and the slightest bit of confusion rising in the blue eyes.

"What is the meaning of this Kakashi?" He asked harshly.

"Just making sure no one touches him. After all, I went through a lot of trouble these past few months and I'm not about to let it all go to waste now." Kakashi patted a pale cheek lightly, "I have him exactly as I want him."

"What did you do to him?"

"Do? Nothing. I didn't touch him like that if that's what you're thinking. No, I want him awake for something like that. But that doesn't mean that I didn't touch him."

Minato snarled, "What do you mean?"

Kakashi's head tipped to the side as a slow smile slipped across his face, "I indulged myself in the beauty of his skin."

If Madara and Tsunade hadn't been there, the doctor would have been dead. A tight arm wrapped around Itachi's waist, effectively holding him back but it did nothing to suppress his growls of anger. Besides him, Minato was shaking with anger at the mere thought of someone so close to him defiling his son in such a way and Itachi was certain that he wanted nothing more than Kakashi's head right now, but Tsunade was holding him back.

"How long?" Minato asked, "How long have you had this…this desire for my son?"

Kakashi's head lolled to the side and a single eye stared at Itachi, "I think Itachi knows; don't you?"

Heads turned toward Itachi and he could feel everyone's gaze on him. He didn't want to say what was on his mind, knowing that it would probably make Minato more upset but Kakashi wasn't in a giving mood today.

"I have an idea, but I'm not sure it's correct." He started, "But I think his attraction stems from an original desire for you, Minato."

The doctor waved his hand, "Go on."

"Your wife told me that Kakashi took a lot of classes under you and decided to become a doctor due to your teachings. I'm not sure what his original intent was, but I have a feeling that becoming a doctor wasn't his intent when he first entered college."

Kakashi hummed while he played with Naruto's hair, "You Uchiha's are so clever; maybe too clever for your own good. But you know what they say; curiosity killed the cat." He looked at Nartuo, who slept on his lap, "But he's right. Ever since I took Minato's classes, I always had a strong pull towards him and for the longest time I thought, we were on the same wavelength. We would spend hours after school together doing research on topics for classes and he treated me like another friend compared to a student."

His tone changed and a sharp glare was directed towards Kushina, "Then you came along and ruined everything. You took him away by marrying him twenty-two years ago and I've never forgiven you." He paused in thought at the memory and scowled, "I put on a happy face for my teachers sake during the wedding and never said a word; after all, I couldn't compete against you. You'd known him longer than I had and he was the one to pursue you."

"Sure we would see each other often, but it wasn't until I received a call that you were carrying his child that I thought my world was slowly ending. Seeing the care he had for you during those nine months was sickening and I almost didn't come see the child after it was born; it was only last minute that I decided to stop by. And when I did, I couldn't believe what my eyes saw. A beautiful little replica of the man I had loved and yearned for during the past years."

At this, Kakashi looked down at Naruto lovingly and a small smile touched his lips before he continued, "I couldn't hate him despite who his mother was, because he looked so much like the one I wanted and it was even better knowing that Minato had helped father this child. I was there throughout Naruto's whole life; I watched him grow up from a toddler to a teen; slowly minding my time."

Itachi's eyes widened at the words and unbidden, a shiver ran down his spine. The mere thought that he had turned to a younger version of the man he obsessed over was offsetting enough, but to hear him admit it was almost worse. He knew that the doctor had known Minato for a while, but he didn't know how long he knew Naruto and how long that lust had been burning in the man. Whether it was a case of unrequited love or something else, he wasn't sure; but it wasn't healthy for both cases involved.

"So why kill Orochimaru?" Tsunade snapped

"To frame me." Itachi answered softly. "My father took over his fathers company when he was younger."

The doctor smirked, "Just like an Uchiha, sniffing out every little detail for your own pleasure. But yes, the agent was a little too touchy with my Naruto and killing him to frame Itachi was like killing two birds with one stone." He paused, "I had hoped that with Itachi convicted of murder, Naruto would turn to me, but he was up late that night and caught me leading a trail to Itachi's room."

A frown formed across Itachi's face, "So what is this more about? Your revenge for your family or your desire for Naruto?"

"It has always been about Naruto, but then you came in and tried to take something else from me. I couldn't let you do that but at the same time the opportunity was too good to pass up."

Itachi didn't doubt the words, but it made him question if the doctors' ideals had become mixed during his time here. Watching Naruto grow up without being able to touch or get close to him must have been a constant reminder of what he couldn't have in the past and it was a constant driving factor in everything he did. But with his own arrival at the center, another road had opened for Kakashi and the temptation of revenge was too good to pass up.

Passions of crime and lust can often be confused into one when the line becomes blurred.

Itachi stepped forward and Kakashi's eyes flashed. The small but deadly knife moved slightly and the doctor snarled, "I wouldn't take another step if I were you Itachi." A tiny bead of blood ran down the pale skin, tainting it red, "My hand might slip and then I'd be left with nothing and the only thing you'd have is the overwhelming guilt that you were the cause of his death."

Without another thought, Itachi quickly moved backwards and he felt Madara grasp at his arm. Besides him, Minato was tense with apprehension and he was also moving back slowly. A cold gaze was directed towards the both of them and Itachi's mind went back to what his uncle had said about those who obsessed over others.

If Kakashi was disappointed in Minato, then there was nothing that Minato could say to try and calm him down. This also ruled out Kushina as well and more than likely Madara. The only person that may be able to talk to the doctor without any threat on Naruto's life would be Tsunade. And Itachi didn't want to leave Naruto alone with the other man.

"Perhaps we should leave so he doesn't feel threatened." He said in a hushed tone, "He's not too fond with most of us and we can easily upset him."

Minato nodded and they slowly slipped outside the room into the bright hallway. Once outside, they let out a sigh and Itachi slumped against the wall as the weight of the situation finally rushed over him. Earlier, he had desperately hoped that his guesses were wrong and now that they were confirmed, he felt sick.

"We'll have to send in some police to talk with him." Tsunade said.

Madara shook his head, "No. He was supposed to be in police custody to begin with; the fact that he's not in there now means that he has someone helping him. Either we call in people we know we can trust or we're on our own."

Silence overtook the group as they each weighed their own thoughts. No doubt, Minato was still trying to wrap his mind around the idea that an old student had been harboring feelings for him and was now lusting after his son. Itachi hissed as he ran a hand though his hair and wanted to punch the wall in his anger but he let out his breath slowly.

It wouldn't help him to take his anger out on the wall right now. Naruto was still inside the room and there was little way they could get to him.

"What's going on here?"

Itachi turned and glared as Sasuke walked towards him. His brothers' face was oddly blank and Itachi could feel the past few months quickly catching up with him.

"What are you doing here Sasuke? You were supposed to stay in the office, or did you come here to gloat?" He snapped, finally at his wits end.

Sasuke slowly shook his head, "I'm here because Naruto called me a few days ago asking to talk to me privately. He said something about us being family and that I needed to forgive you. I don't think he likes being the one to cause animosity between us."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, "Why would you harbor any ill will towards him that could cause a rift between us?" He asked, "The last time I checked, you already hated me and I doubt he could have made you hate me more."

Sasuke squirmed under the intense gaze of his brother and rubbed his arm in a nervous gesture, "I don't hate you Itachi."

"What was that?"

He let out a sigh, "I said that I don't hate you; I never have. It's just that…" He paused, "It's hard for me to explain and maybe one day I'll be able to explain it better. But I don't hate you for what you did. I will probably never understand what happened that night or the days leading up to it, nor will I understand the condition that you have, but I'm willing to try."

Sasuke looked up at Itachi, "But this doesn't mean that I fully forgive you yet. You still killed our parents and if you were able to still your hand when it came to me, I believe you could have stilled your hand when it came to our parents."

Itachi nodded, "I understand Sasuke. I still haven't recovered from that night myself and I've been slowly coming to terms with it, so I understand that fixing our relationship won't happen over night." A small smile touched his lips, "But I'm grateful that you are at least trying."

Sasuke sniffed, "It doesn't mean that things will ever return to normal between us though." He glanced at the room where Naruto was sleeping, "I had hoped to talk to him and have him explain things a little more, but obviously something is wrong."

He glanced towards the room as well and he scowled as remembered why he was out in the hallway. While Itachi was happy that Sasuke was willing to work towards a mutual agreement, he would have to put his exhilaration on hold for another time. There were more pressing matters to attend to.

"Naruto is being held captive by a doctor who has a blatant dislike for the Uchiha name. He seems to think that by taking Naruto away from me, he can exact revenge on the Uchiha name while gaining something he has always wanted."

An eyebrow rose, "What did you do to this person?"

Itachi grimaced, "It's more of what our father did. He bought out a company year's back and I'm going to guess that Kakashi suffered because of it. Now, I'm left to bear the anger that was directed at father and he's getting back at me by taking away something that is precious to me. And at the same time, the good doctor has been lusting after Naruto for quite sometime now."

"So when Naruto chose you over him, he snapped and tried to blame this whole thing on you." Sasuke stated.

"Correct." Itachi stated and looked towards Minato who was trying to calm his wife down; the woman was ready to go into the room and fight the man herself in order to get her son to safety. "Kakashi is extremely smart; graduated top of his class and decided to become a doctor after originally falling for his old teacher."

Sasuke followed his gaze to Minato and his eyes widened. "He was in love with the idiots' father? This place is full of messed up people."

"Sasuke." Itachi snapped and his brother quickly shut his mouth.

The two brothers were silent as they continued to watch the adults talk amongst themselves. They knew that their uncle was trying to act as peacemaker while everyone decided what to do. It was obvious that Naruto's parents wanted to get their son out of harms way, but there was no one to go inside and talk to the man without upsetting him. And with not knowing who was on the doctors' side, it made things all the more difficult.

"So what are you going to do?"

Itachi looked at Sasuke. "What?"

"What are you going to do Itachi?" He asked again, "Someone you care about deeply is in danger and you can't tell me that you're going to just sit here and twiddle your thumbs."

He scowled, "The man hates me Sasuke; enough to kill someone and try to frame me with his murder. You can't expect me to just waltz in there and demand Naruto back."

"I didn't mean it like that." Sasuke snapped irritably, "So he's smart, big deal; you are too."

Silent alarms started to go off in Itachi's head as his brother glared at him. Little pieces started to connect together and as he laced them together, he hoped that he understood what Sasuke was hinting at. But before he plunged headfirst into this idea, he had to guarantee that no harm would come from it.

"Why are you so adamant on this subject Sasuke? I thought you disliked Naruto."

Sasuke nodded, "I do, or rather I did. But I think that's because he was able to draw all these emotions out of you that I've never seen before and maybe it made me jealous. In the years that I've been your brother, I've rarely seen those emotions in you, let alone you direct them at me with very few exceptions." He looked away with a hint of annoyance on his face, "Besides, even I can tell that he makes you happy, and as your brother; I should want you to be happy."

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke glared at the wall, "Because I am not an emotionally stunted duck assed bastard of a brother."

Itachi blinked and started to chuckle, "Did Naruto call you that?"

"Yes." He huffed, "He should be glad it was over the phone, otherwise he would be dead right now."

Itachi hummed as he leaned against the white wall. He didn't want to sound narcissistic, but his brother was correct; he was smart as well. If Kakashi thought that he was going to sit back and do nothing to get Naruto back, then he was seriously underestimating the Uchiha name. They didn't do anything half-assed, nor did they take too kindly to people taking things that didn't belong to them.

And while Itachi had no right to fully call Naruto his, neither did Kakashi and he refused to let the man think that he did.

His eyes slid shut as his mind started to sink into the depths of his consciousness. Kakashi had wanted to play a dangerous game and had already set the pieces into play and for a while, Itachi was playing as well. He was just sitting in a temporary timeout while he gathered his own pieces to play. If the doctor was playing a game, he would play as well; but this time, they were playing by his rules.

Dark eyes opened slowly as the final puzzle pieces clicked together and the pieces were set on the board. A slow burning flame shown in the black eyes as his gaze settled on his brother and a small smirk slipped across his face.

"I'm going to need your help Sasuke."

* * *

A pale hand pulled the wooden door shut and the male confidently strode forward, his gaze locked on the figure sitting in the bed. A few minutes ago, he had listened intently to Itachi tell everyone his plan and they had moved down towards another room to discuss it more. All he needed to do was feign the call of nature and slip back towards the room. Dark eyes rose to meet his and he paused in his steps but the air of confidence still hung around him.

"Take one more step Uchiha and he's dead."

Sasuke held up his hands, "I'm not here on my brother's or the idiots' behalf. More like, I'm here for you."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow but his hand never moved from Naruto's neck, "What are you talking about?"

"You and I have the same desire; to see my brother fall. With him out of the picture, I gain full control over my fathers company and you get to have…Naruto."

"You would stoop so low as to betray your own flesh and blood?" Kakashi asked with mild disbelief. "I knew you didn't like him, but I never expected the hate to stem this far."

A grin slipped across Sasuke's face, "Well you see, the best thing about my brother is that he's a pacifist. He doesn't like to deal with all the violence, so all I needed to do was string him some pretty words about trying to mend our relationship and all that shit and he accepts me back with open arms."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." Sasuke answered, "So, how may I help you dispose of my brother?"

Kakashi's eyes crinkled as an insane smirk slipped across his face, "What do you know of the outside world right now?"

Sasuke inclined his head and took a step forward cautiously, "I know that they're planning on disabling your car and all other medical ones that you may have access to so you won't be able to escape. But other than that, they're still deliberating about what to do next. They know that you have someone helping you in the police force and they aren't including them in any of their plans."

A snort of disgust sounded from Kakashi's throat, "Your brothers doing I assume?" At Sasuke's nod, he scowled, "Somehow I figured. He's trying to take Naruto back and prove that he's the smarter one, but I'll best him at this."

Sasuke sat down in a chair a few feet from the bed and laced his fingers together, "How do you plan on taking my brother down and tell me how I can help."

* * *

Itachi looked at the clock in the hallway and fought the urge to pace. He desperately wanted to know what was taking his brother so long with the negotiations. It was supposed to be simple; Sasuke would talk to the doctor and find out everything about the current situation before reporting to them.

That was an hour ago.

Everyone was watching him discreetly and he knew they were questioning his ideals, but he knew that they would work. He was smarter than Kakashi and he would get Naruto back without bringing any harm to him. The doctor would talk to Sasuke since he thought that his brother hated him, but he didn't know that they had recently reached a small understanding.

A smile touched his lips at the thought and his body warmed slightly. Despite the current situation, he was glad that his brother had been able to make a little peace with him. Without him, his whole plan wouldn't have been able to work.

The click of the door opening caught everyone's attention and they waited for Sasuke to exit the room.

And exit he did. With Kakashi following behind him, cradling Naruto with a knife still to his neck.

"Sa-Sasuke?" Itachi stammered slightly.

A demented smile overtook Sasuke's face, sending chills down everyone's spine. "What's the matter big brother? Are you surprised to see me stabbing you in the back?" Laughter escaped his throat, "You didn't really believe all that shit I told you about forgiving you, did you? I'll never be able to forgive you and I'll always hate you; get used to it."

"I trusted you!" He cried.

Sasuke shrugged, "Well you shouldn't have. Now you'll have to live the rest of your life knowing that you failed once again to protect the ones you love and you're responsible for their suffering. First mother and father, and now Naruto. You failed them all."

Behind Itachi, Madara growled, "Sasuke, you would betray your family?"

"Yes."

Itachi took a step forward and Sasuke waggled a finger in his direction, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Naruto's life is on the line after all."

Dark eyes looked at Kakashi, whose grip on the knife tightened. Despite every nerve telling him to keep moving forward and beat his brother within an inch of his life, he took a step backwards; losing Naruto wasn't worth it.

Kakashi took a step backwards; eyes still locked on Itachi, "I win Itachi."

And it was with that, that the two moved down the hallway, one watching the front of the area while the other watched the back. It wasn't until they were halfway down the hallway that Itachi's eyes narrowed in on the smallest twitching of Naruto's hands and fear quickly spread through his body.

Naruto was waking up.

One of the things he didn't want to happen was Naruto waking up alone, with no one there to comfort him after seeing the horrible deeds that Kakashi had committed. He wanted to be the one that Naruto saw when he woke up, he wanted to be the one to tell him that everything was all right and to comfort him through the night.

To know that it was going to be okay.

But as he watched them move further down the white corridor, he felt his hope slipping away with each step. It wasn't until they vanished from view that he cursed under his breath and gripped at his jacket.

"Naruto."

* * *

It was cold.

And dark, but more than anything it was cold and he wanted nothing more than to curl up in his blanket and sleep the day away. His head felt heavy and his mind felt like it was in a fog. Limbs were heavy and his hearing was slightly muffled, allowing him to make out only a few words as the people around him talked.

A blast of cold air hit him and he trembled violently before a hand settled on his body. He froze when he felt the touch and his mind cleared instantly as the cool air cleared his head; allowing memories to come rushing back to him.

"I think he's waking up."

Oh god, that voice.

A shiver raced through his body, this time not from the cold but from the voice that drifted into his ears, awakening past memories like an old friend. Or rather, an old monster from your past that you thought had vanished with the ages of time.

"Wrap him up so he can't get out and then put him in the trunk."

A soft hand cupped his face before the harsh feeling of a cloth was pushed into his mouth and tied around his head. The hand moved away and another set grabbed his wrist to tie them together, tugging at the knot to make sure it tight; even though the fabric loosened slightly in the process.

His eyelids fluttered open and his vision swam before him before everything came into focus. Overhead, a dark haired figure looked down at him with a slight smirk on his face and they widened at first glance. He shook his head to clear the remaining fog and tried to refocus on the person; trying to decide if it was the person, he thought it was.

But the trunk closed before he could get his answer, leaving him in the cold darkness.

' _Itachi.'_

* * *

"We're going to change cars at this next stop. My brother knows what my car looks like so I called one of my friends and had them drop off a different one that he doesn't know about."

"How does he not know about this new car of yours?" Kakashi asked as he cleaned the blood of his small scalpel, "I thought that your brother had people watching you while he was at the center."

A smirk slipped across Sasuke's face, "I have people who can work around his own. Don't think of me as completely incapable of doing things on my own." He eased the car over into a vacant lane, "It has tinted windows that are still within the laws so we shouldn't be stopped and it's already stocked with food and liquids so we won't have to stop."

The doctor snorted, "Maybe some of you Uchiha's aren't that bad, but we still need to get your brother out of the picture."

Sasuke slowed down at the stoplight and thrummed his fingers along the surface of his steering wheel, "You said you had people in the police force; it would be their word against those who work in rehabilitation center. An officers words sound better than a doctor who works with people with problems all day; no offense."

"It's green." Kakashi pointed out.

Sasuke looked up and realized that he had been lost in thought. He glanced in the rearview mirror to see a long line behind him and started forward again. His heart was still racing and the excitement that they had gotten away with the escape was still flowing through his veins.

"What do you have planned?" Kakashi asked. "Or do you wish for me to talk to my insider?"

Sasuke shrugged, "Whatever you feel is best. If your man can fabricate evidence, then we'll be good. We'll just have to figure out how to deal with my ex-cousin. Although I'm sure we can work something out seeing as he is somewhat family; even if he removed himself."

The ringing of a cell phone was loud in the car and Sasuke brought the phone to his ear, "Yeah? Okay, we'll meet you in the middle of the parking lot then."

He flicked his turn signal on, and turned to the right, into a parking lot. It wasn't empty, but it wasn't overly full either; providing them plenty of comfort. He glanced again in the rearview mirror as a blue car turned down an aisle and moved his car in the opposite direction; he didn't want anyone watching them as they pulled a body from the car.

Next to him, Kakashi was scanning the light post, looking for any surveillance videos. After finding none, he nodded to Sasuke and they moved towards the middle aisle. Dark eyes narrowed as they found the car they were looking for and moved to park next to a white car on the left and a larger tan van to the right. He threw the car in park and after scanning the area, opened his door.

Kakashi set the knife on the seat and stood up, moving behind the open door. The metal door blocked him from the wind as it stirred around his body and after a moment of surveying the area, he moved to the trunk.

"Unlock your car and open the trunk; we need to get going before they track us."

Sasuke nodded and opened the door to the white car. He watched as the doctor placed a small bag into the back seat next to the multiple bags of food and slammed the door shut. The only thing left to transfer from the car was Naruto and they had to make it look casual.

They scanned the area one last time and after finding no one within the area watching them, Sasuke unlocked the trunk and pulled it open. He caught sight of the wide blue eyes as they tried to come into focus in the bright light. They were tinted with fear and confusion, while the slightest hints of wetness shone in the edges of them.

He wondered if Naruto thought he was Itachi.

"He's awake."

The words cut through the silence and Kakashi's footsteps were loud as he walked closer to the trunk. He peered over the edge of the car and his hand reached down to stroke the pale check, "Hello love."

Naruto's response was lost to Kakashi as he was tackled to the ground by an angry yellow blur. Shouts and yells filled the air, along with the sickening sound of a jaw cracking.

In the midst of the confusion, a taller shadow stepped forward and wrapped warm arms around Naruto, pulling him from the confines of the cold trunk. Naruto quickly relished in the warmth and tried to burrow closer into it as a calming hand ran through his hair. A loud yowling sound drew his head away from the warm body and his eyes widened as he saw his father wrestling with Kakashi on the ground.

At seeing the doctor, his heart started to race and he felt the arms grab at him, as if trying to protect him from the scene. Dozens of police officers surrounded the two fighting men and tried to separate them, but Minato was determined to get the final say in the fight. He was able to get one last blow on the doctor's face before Madara pulled him off the man and closer to the cars.

His body started to shake as he continued to watch the police subdue Kakashi who was still yelling and screaming. The police struggled to hold the doctor down on the ground and one of them fell to the ground after a harsh kick to the stomach. The hands gripped his shoulders tighter, while something heavy rested on his head; providing a temporary distraction.

He flinched when the doctor shot a look at him and started screaming that they were taking away what was his and that he deserved Naruto. With a fierce tug and pull, Kakashi broke away from the police and started to run towards him. The body that was holding him went tense as the muscles prepared to run or fight and he pushed his head into the warmth; trying to block out the crazed look in the mans eyes.

A pained scream drew his attention back to the scene and the body relaxed slightly. Naruto turned his head back to the parking lot, trying to determine what was going on. His body shivered at the harsh screams and his eyes settled on the body that was twitching faintly due to the aftershocks of the taser. But despite the fact that Kakashi couldn't move his body, the yelling didn't stop as police surrounded him.

"He's taking him away; you can't do this to me!" He screamed, "He's mine! Please don't take him from me; I wasn't going to hurt him." A choked sob seemed to escape his throat, "Please; I love him."

The arms tightened and the person holding him quickly turned around so they couldn't see the scene anymore. Soft fingers ran over his face, drawing his attention to the person holding him and gentle, dark eyes glanced down at him.

"Naruto…"

Naruto felt his breath hitch before Itachi's name tumbled from his lips and all he wanted to do was snuggle more into the warmth that Itachi had to offer, but his mind was quick to remind him of past memories. Kakashi wanted him and so did Itachi. They were both people that he trusted and both of them were patient at waiting.

What if Itachi was just like Kakashi? Lying in the shadows and waiting to strike when his defense was down.

With a yell, he pushed away from Itachi and stumbled to the ground. He scrapped his hands on the gravel from the parking lot and shook his head as Itachi tried to get closer.

"No." He muttered before screaming the word again, "Stay away!"

Confusion flickered over Itachi's face before it was replaced by pain. He watched as Naruto trembled in the cold wind, since he was only clothed in lightweight pajamas and tried to find his bearings. Blue eyes darted widely around until a soft feminine voice called his name and he spun around quickly.

The sight of his mother walking towards him gave him comfort and in a matter of seconds, he was in the redheads arms. He pressed his face into her neck as she soothingly rubbed his back and muttered softly into his ear. The feeling of paternal comfort was something that was always sought out after a traumatic experience and right now, it was the only thing that was certain in Naruto's life.

His parents were someone he could trust and they would protect him.

Minato paused next to Itachi as he watched his wife comforting their son. Itachi looked up at him and could see a small bruise forming on his jaw but other than that, he seemed to have come out well from the fight.

"Thank you, Itachi." He said, keeping his eyes on Naruto, "You saved his life and I can never thank you enough for that. When your brother finishes talking to the police, give him my thanks as well. It was quite an act he put on."

"Sasuke always wanted to be an actor." Itachi answered, "He took lessons but our father made him stop when he became older."

Minato grunted, "He should have kept up with them." He inclined his head and carefully walked over to his family. While he wanted nothing more than to see that his son was all right, Minato knew that Naruto's trust had been shattered and he wasn't sure how far it extended.

A soft hand dropped onto Itachi's shoulder and he looked to his right to see Madara standing next to him, "He'll come around, you just need to give him some time. This whole thing has been rather traumatic for him; I would have been surprised if he came out of this completely unscathed."

"He's terrified of me." Itachi said, pain lacing his voice. "He couldn't even look at me."

"An older man he knew for his entire life was lusting after him, killed his publisher to frame you and then violated him in the process. You didn't think he'd be fine right away did you?" Madara asked, "Maybe in his mind, you and Kakashi are the same. You both desired him; granted your motives were more noble, but to him right now, they're the same."

Itachi huffed at the statement and knew that his uncle was correct, but it didn't stop the pain. He had been through an emotional rollercoaster today as well and he wanted nothing more than to hold Naruto; comfort him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. He wanted to erase the memories of the past and make new ones for Naruto and now he feared that it was something out of reach.

Footsteps sounded from behind and stopped next to him, "You owe me."

Itachi dipped his head, "Thank you Sasuke. We couldn't have done this without you and Juugo."

"I guess in the end, it was the Uchiha genius that trumped the Hatake genius." Sasuke said as he slammed the trunk close and handed the keys off to an officer, "Put a scratch on her and it'll come out of your paycheck."

They watched as the car was towed away and once it disappeared from sight, Sasuke ran a hand through his hair tiredly. "I have to admit that I didn't think this plan of yours was going to work. But Kakashi was so focused on getting Naruto out that he wasn't thinking straight and believed my little skit." He shrugged, "It didn't take much besides claiming that I hated you to convince him to let me join his plans."

A shiver ran through Sasuke's body, "But he was ready to go to the extreme to get rid of you. He wanted to wipe you and Sai out so there wouldn't be any extra evidence left."

"Did he say who was on the police force?"

Sasuke nodded, "Yeah, when we were in the room he gave me a few names; some guy named Yamato was his main contact. I left the tape under my chair and Tsunade will be looking over it by now. I still have the other recording from the car with me." He looked at Itachi, "With all this, we have enough proof to show that he committed the act."

"But it won't bring Naruto back." Itachi said softly.

"He'll come back." Sasuke said, "The idiot is too stubborn to stay scared."

Itachi chuckled weakly at his brothers' comment but something felt like the worst wasn't over and Naruto wasn't going to get better.

* * *

The next morning, a red-eyed Itachi splashed water on his face. He hadn't slept much last night and his whole body ached. Twice last night the doctors had slammed him to the ground when he had started to sleepwalk and after the second time, he couldn't fall back asleep.

Apparently, his sleepwalking was pointing him in the direction of Naruto's room.

But while he had no intent on killing Naruto, they concluded that he merely wanted to see if Naruto was okay. He found the whole thing shocking; if anything, he thought he would be headed towards Kakashi's room to hurt the doctor.

After taking a long shower and dressing in warm clothes, he made his way towards Naruto's room. While Itachi wasn't sure if Naruto was back in his room or not, Gaara would be there and he could point him in the correct direction. He knocked lightly on the door and when the redhead swung the door open, his eyes narrowed at the guarded face.

"Where's Naruto?" He asked.

"I'd talk to Tsunade first, Itachi."

Dread rushed through Itachi's body as he headed to the doctors office. The door was open and he quickly strode in. She glanced at him as he stood in front of her desk, "Where's Naruto."

"Sit down Itachi."

He remained standing and glared at her, making her sigh in frustration.

"He's gone." She held up a hand to stop him from asking questions, "His parents had him removed yesterday as soon as they came back. He was so terrified of the center that he started to shake as soon as they tried to pass by Kakashi's room so they could get to his own room. They couldn't keep him here, so Minato is taking over Naruto's therapy."

Itachi stared at her, "He's gone?" Tsunade nodded and he clenched his fist, "He didn't say good-bye."

"I'm sorry Itachi, but there was nothing I could do. And due to the past few days, I'm afraid that I won't be able to release you until I've thoroughly talked with you. Not only are you in emotional pain, but you're emotionally stressed due to everything that happened. To add onto the stack of things; you relapsed twice last night." She paused, "I think now, we may be able to pinpoint what is causing these relapses."

Itachi scowled, "I'm not here on direct orders from either the doctors or the judge. It was merely a suggestion to come here; I can leave any time I wish. And I wish to leave now; I'm going to go find Naruto."

"You will do no such thing Itachi." She snapped, "If you leave now, you'll only make things worse for both yourself and Naruto. He needs time to heal and you need to figure out why you relapsed."

Itachi slammed his hands on the desk, "Relapse, relapse, relapse; is that all you care about?" He snapped, "How would you know what I need?"

Tsunade stood up and leaned forward so they were closer, "If you did find him and he somehow was able to see you without become scared, what would you do? You'd stay with him and what would happen if you relapsed when you were with him? You could kill him just as easily if you leave now and then what will that do for you two?" She sat down, "I know you want to see him, but if you're not patient, you may end up losing him in the end."

Itachi dropped into a chair and let his head fall onto his hands, "Where do you want to start?"

She nodded at his submission, knowing that it was a harsh blow to his pride but it needed to be said. Picking up a pen, she opened Itachi's folder and sat poised to write. Despite everything that had happened, she still needed to keep moving forward. Looking back would only show her where she overlooked the signs. And it would show her that this whole thing could have been prevented if she had only read between the lines.

But she wouldn't dwell on it now. Instead, she would work with what she had now and hope for the best in the future.


	16. Through it all

A dark presence stalked even darker hallways, where the only light came from under the doors that were shut in fear of inflicting the evil wrath. As the heavy footsteps neared the end of the darkened hall, they paused as if searching for something before turning to the right.

Knowing that those footsteps meant doom due to the increasingly bad mood that the shadow had been in over the past week, one would think that you should take all precautions to stay on that person's good side. Unless you had a death wish.

Well, maybe he had a death wish today but he was certain that it would be worth it in the end. He leaned back in the chair and propped his feet up on the table before grabbing a book. The door handle turned and he silently counted down in his head.

' _3…2…1…'_

"Kisame, get your feet off my table." Itachi snapped, "And do you have the files for the meeting; the shareholders will be here in a few minutes."

Kisame waved his hand as his eyes skimmed over the text in the book, "Relax, they're on your desk. What happened to my boss who was so laid back a few months ago?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed, "I'm not having this conversation with you Kisame and so you know…" He paused, "What are you reading?"

"A book."

A vein twitched over Itachi's eye and his eyes narrowed slightly, "Kisame…"

Kisame laughed lightly and held up the book, "You should read it, Itachi. This new author that everyone is raving about is really good. Maybe you should relax some more and read."

Itachi snatched the book from Kisame's hands, "Where did you get this? And don't you dare say a bookstore."

Kisame frowned at the demanding tone, "Fine, Mr. Grumpy Pants; I bought it at the bookstore just down the road from here. The book came out earlier this month and everyone's been talking about it; I thought I would check it out." He rubbed at his eyes before looking up at his boss, "You know, if you stay all mean and grumpy to me today, I don't think I should tell you where the author is signing copies today."

The man reared back as Itachi launched himself over the desk, "Where." He demanded.

He huffed and turned his head off to the side but kept his eyes on the man, "I'm not telling. You were mean to me." The hands on his shirt collar tightened, "Besides, you can't leave; the shareholders are going to be here soon and what's the worse you can do to me?"

A small, but evil chuckle escaped Itachi's lips, "I can easily fire you Kisame, and make it to where no one else will hire you due to a threat that is attached to your name. And then when you come crawling back to me all miserable like, due to hunger and desperation; I'm going to laugh at you. I'll put you through the same torture that you're putting me through now; dangling your desires in front of you with no hopes of reaching it." Itachi paused and leaned closer, "I'll make sure to take away your ability to have kids."

At this, Kisame let out a whimper and his hands quickly moved to shield himself from any impending danger. Even though they both knew that, the threats were hollow and that Kisame was only toying with his boss; the underlying tone of pain was hidden in the message.

And Kisame was never one to ignore the signs of possible pain. Because even if the previous threat was hollow, there were plenty of other things, that Itachi would do to make his life miserable.

"He's at this local bookstore two hours south of here." He quickly offered and the hands released him, "Uh, before you leave, I would take the files with you; you might need them."

Itachi eyed his partner but grabbed the stack of folders that were sitting on the desk before wheeling around and vanishing from the office.

Kisame waited until the office doors closed and then let out a shaky breath. He reached into the desk drawer and pulled out another copy of the book, laughing to himself. He had been taking a large gamble today and if things hadn't worked out; Itachi would have killed him when he found out what he had planned. It had taken a week of planning after seeing the book on the shelf for the first time, but after pulling a few strings; he found it would work.

He leaned back in the chair and settled in for a good read; one that he hadn't had in a long time. After all, the shareholders weren't coming today; he had called them yesterday and told them that they needed to reschedule due to an illness that had taken hold of the building. Instead, they would be back in a week and a half; giving Itachi and Naruto plenty of time to catch up on lost time.

Itachi so owed him.

* * *

It wasn't until Itachi had thrown the folders into the seat of his car that he realized the logic behind bringing them. There, tucked under the black hardback book and the first folder was a printed out page with directions to the bookstore. The detailed map was precise in every turn and direction he needed to go, including handwritten instructions on how he should leave his office and get to his car.

For the first time in eight months, a small smile slipped across Itachi's face as he started the car. Either Kisame was digging for a raise (or his own grave), or he truly had just risked his job to see that Itachi was able to meet up with Naruto.

The car roared to life and he moved into the flow of traffic, letting the soft purr of the car try and soothe his racing nerves. He wouldn't lie to himself and say that he wasn't nervous at meeting with Naruto again; he was very worried. It was only through sheer luck that he had noticed the title of the story and despite the different authors name; he easily remembered that it was Naruto's book.

It had been eight months since they last saw each other and only six months since he had been released from the center. During the two months he was at the center without Naruto, he had relapsed a few more times. Tsunade said that even though Itachi knew that Naruto was gone, he was still trying to seek him out and she was able to verify that his sleepwalking wasn't homicidal somnambulism, but rather somnambulism. Or just plain sleepwalking.

The mere fact that he wasn't trying to get into Kakashi's room was one of her founding bases. One of the nights, they removed Gaara from the room and let Itachi continue on a normal sleepwalking path. True to his course, he made his way to Naruto's old room and they found him curled up on Naruto's bed; sound asleep.

Tsunade explained to him that next day that sleepwalking is common in people with high levels of stress or psychological factors. She also mentioned that due to the stress placed on him as a child had helped to cause the parasomnia in his young age. Mixing his history with sleepwalking and the ever-shortening temper that his father caused in him, made him snap.

And in a strange turn of events, she even went on to suggest that Sasuke was the one who had kept the act at bay for so long. She cited that Sasuke was the reason Itachi had been able to keep calm and manageable, because he didn't want to lash out at his parents with Sasuke around. Because of this, he was able to keep his emotions in check to a certain degree.

However, on the night of the accident, Sasuke was the one to lash out, but instead of snapping at his parents, he attacked his brother. Due to the immense stress that Itachi had been feeling, coupled with the hurt from Sasuke; Itachi had unconsciously snapped.

The suggestion that it wasn't Sasuke's continuous presence that had made him commit such an act relieved Itachi, especially since his brother had wanted to work towards a better relationship. And while the actual cause would never be known; it was enough for him. Because, despite everyone telling him they would get to the bottom of the problem, they all knew that it would only be speculation.

The homicidal sleepwalking was a rare case to begin with and because of such, there wasn't much to work off of. Instead, they could only rely on what information they had and try to find a way to prevent the action from happening again. And while Tsunade doubted that another relapse would happen in the near future, she wanted to keep him for another month for safety purposes.

The only thing that still had Tsunade stumped was the relapse when Itachi had attacked Naruto. At that time, the two weren't extremely close but they were still decent friends. The only connection that she could find between Itachi's first incident with his family and the relapse with Naruto, was that he had gone after both Sasuke and Naruto even though he wasn't upset with them at the time.

She speculated that perhaps he had them confused in his mind at the time and was perhaps trying to stop the two from fighting. If his mind had been dwelling on the fight that had happened earlier that day, he could have been trying to separate them mentally, while in reality, he was actually hurting Naruto. The answer didn't sit well with Itachi because it meant that he had still hurt Naruto and there wasn't any solid logic behind the attack.

But perhaps the thing that confused Itachi the most during that time was the constant desire his body had to move to Naruto's room. In the end, they let him change rooms after Gaara left and after that, the sleepwalking stopped. When he questioned Tsunade about it, Tsunade appeared thoughtful before asking him what he thought about Naruto.

If it was simple lust or something deeper.

When he answered that it was something deeper than just the human desire to copulate, she simply smiled and then went on to explain the details of the birds and the bees.

He left rather abruptly and the sounds of her laughter echoing down the hallway made him scowl.

At the next meeting, Tsunade still snickered at him but then sobered up and decided to explain the logic behind his sleepwalking. She said that his mind was unconsciously looking for Naruto and only knew to find him in his room, even though he wasn't there. It was the feeling of familiarity that satisfied his minds desires and let him sleep. The feeling would eventually fade away when he went home because he was in a more familiar place and wouldn't have a need to seek out Naruto.

True to her word, when Itachi was released and went home, he was able to sleep soundly. And while his nights were sometimes uneasy, making him toss and turn for a while, he would eventually fall asleep. But the dull ache still remained.

And it wasn't as though he didn't look for Naruto.

He tried everything that was within his legal grasp to try to find Naruto. All internet searches remained blank and scouring the phonebook proved pointless. The center couldn't release any information on him either and even though he knew this, he still tried; only to be met with a dead end.

It was as if Naruto had vanished from the face of the Earth.

And even if Itachi knew where he was, the question of did Naruto want to see him still hung in the air. Even two months after Naruto left, Itachi could still see the haunted eyes in his sleep and it pained him even more to know that he couldn't have done more. The one question that also haunted his mind even though he refused to think about it was the 'what if.'

What if Naruto had already moved on in the time that they had been separated?

It was all very possible; after all, they had only known each other for a short amount of time and there was nothing stopping either of them from moving on. The possibilities of one finding the other was slim to none. And it wasn't just because of the large population that inhabited the area; he wasn't even sure if Naruto was in the same state, let alone the same continent.

The variables were stacked up against them, as were the possibilities of finding each other.

It was a depressing thought, one that had sent Itachi into a frenzied mode where he worked desperately to catch up on work and find ways to distract his mind from the upsetting notion. He knew that he could move on as well and the idea repulsed him. It wasn't the fact that Naruto was the first person he had feelings for; it was the fact that he was comfortable with him.

Naruto was the only one he could see himself with and he knew from past experiences that besides being attractive, Naruto was also sincere; something everyone else wasn't. While many attractive people (and some not so) threw themselves at him in hopes of catching his eye, they didn't have the genuine feelings that Naruto had.

Itachi slowed the car down as traffic became heavier, successfully pulling him out of his thoughts. For ten minutes traffic crawled before slowing to a stop and Itachi let his head fall on the steering wheel. He leaned over to pick up the directions again and noticed for the first time that there was a small arrow pointing to the backside of the paper.

He felt his eye twitch again while a growl escaped his throat and he could just hear the cheerful tone in Kisame's voice, as if he were sitting next to him

' _By the way, there will be construction on the main highway that continues for about ten miles; it'll take about an hour to get through. And don't growl at me Mr. Grumpy Pants, I thought of this problem too. Take the next exit and follow the map on the next page; it'll get you past the construction and back onto the main road._

_Your ever loving; hopefully not soon to be fired (or already fired) partner,_

_Kisame'_

Being careful not to crumple the paper too much so that it was beyond reading, Itachi eased the car into the exit lane. It wasn't until he was off the highway and negotiating the beautiful back country roads that he allowed himself to relax and once again thank Kisame.

* * *

Fingers drummed along the steering wheel a couple time as the sleek black car sat outside the store. Another glance at the clock showed that it had been at least ten minutes since he showed up in the parking lot outside the bookstore. With a groan, Itachi let his head tip back onto the headrest and ran a steady hand through his bangs while sighing loudly.

He wasn't nervous; not in the least bit.

He could go inside the bookstore and search out Naruto who had been haunting his dreams for the past eight months. Because Itachi was not scared.

With a growl, he kicked the door open and pulled himself from the car. He slammed the door shut after removing his tie and then moved towards the door with a determined stride. There was nothing that was going to keep him from searching out Naruto.

Except the mass of people that prevented him from getting through the door.

A little cloud of despair hovered over his head before he pushed his way into the store, ignoring the people who swarmed around him like a school of fish. Once free of the pack of people, he drifted over to a less crowded section and paused mid-step when he saw a mop of blond hair. His heart pounded in his chest painfully at the sight of him and he wanted nothing more than to pull Naruto into his arms.

His eyes scanned over Naruto's body, trying to see if there was any physical changes that he could see. While his hair had grown slightly longer, there was nothing that jumped out at him immediately, but his gaze stopped when the settled on the blue eyes. Even though they held the bright laughter that he loved so much, there was still a touch of fear in those eyes.

That and something else that wasn't noticeable by someone just passing by.

There was a look of longing and loneliness hidden deep within the bright eyes and it made Itachi ache for Naruto. Seeing that look made him realize just how much he truthfully missed Naruto and he would willingly wait in any line so he could see him again.

A hand on his shoulder made him jump and he turned around quickly. A woman with blue tinted hair that swept to the side looked back at him and she ran a critical eye over his figure before nodding to herself.

"You're the Uchiha…" She paused, thinking of the name and then snapped her fingers, "Itachi."

Itachi nodded slowly and his muscles tensed slightly in case he had done something wrong.

She raised her hands up in an attempt to calm him down, "You're not in any trouble, yet. I noticed you watching my little charge and I had to make sure that you weren't trying to think of anything that would harm him." She pointed towards a tall man who was standing a few steps behind Naruto. His bright auburn hair and heavily pierced face made him look rather intimidating and he cast a quick glance their way. "See that man? He works for me and won't hesitate to protect him."

"Ah…"

"But I don't think we'll need him for you." She smiled, "I received a call a few weeks back after Naruto published his book. You see, I'm his editor and while I love his work to death, I can't get anything else out of him right now; writers block if you will. So when this call came in, I was rather, um, intrigued."

Itachi eyed the woman carefully. According to Naruto, his editor was a she-devil in disguise who loved to nitpick over the simplest of detail.

"Apparently, you are the cause of his writers block." The editor said and cocked her head, "I was informed that you two knew each other and were rather close but were separated suddenly. My unnamed source asked how my charge was doing and when he heard about my problem, he offered a solution. You came here rather quickly."

Small hands dropped onto his shoulders and gave him a slight push towards the back of the bookstore. He tried to glance over his shoulder and protest the treatment, but the woman was stronger than she looked and continued to move him away from Naruto. Finally, he was pushed into a sofa and a book was dropped onto his lap.

"He gets a break from signing in about thirty minutes."

Itachi glanced down at the book in his lap and snorted when he realized it was Naruto's book. He looked up to question the nameless editor but she had vanished into the mass of people, although from his spot in the store, he could easily watch Naruto.

Leaning back on the sofa, he opened the front cover while his fingers skimmed over the crisp paper. The smell of a new book drifted up towards his nose, filling his senses and he settled himself into the cushions as he started to read the first page. His eyes widened as they spotted a small, rather plain sentence that would mean nothing to most, but he knew what it meant.

' _And thanks to my raven, who helped me in more ways than one; I miss you. (Hinata this is not, nor will it ever be for you, please stop stalking me.)_

A soft smile settled over his face before he relaxed and started to read.

* * *

A silent groan escaped Naruto's mouth as he smiled and handed the book back to its owner. He had been signing books for the past hour and his hand was starting to cramp from the continuous use. Not to mention, his stomach was growling with hunger and he had food upstairs that was calling for him.

His editor seemed to sense his discomfort and quickly walked to his side, "Do you need a break?"

He nodded and flexed his fingers, making them pop. Next to him, the silent man who had been watching him sign books for the past hour drifted over quietly. It was only then that he spoke in a soft tone, telling everyone that they would be back in an hour or so, drawing a cry of disappointment from the crowd. Naruto flashed them a smile, as if to apologize for leaving them, but reassured the group that he would be back.

With that said, he moved away from the table and headed towards the back of the store, lacing his fingers behind his head. It was only yesterday that Konan had called him, saying that one of the bookstores nearby wanted him to sign books at their store. He was thrilled and agreed quickly since it was his favorite bookshop and he was a frequent customer.

A loud growl from his stomach reminded him of the lunch he had stored up in the upstairs loft area of the store and he quickly made his way to the back of the shop. He wondered how long he was going to have after the signing; there were several books that he had been dying to read, but his editor wasn't about to let that happen. She was adamant on not letting him read until he worked more on his new book; but every time he started to work, words failed him.

"Who's Hinata, Naruto?"

Naruto's fingers tightened around the door handle as his body froze in place. He stared ahead, unblinking, in fear that if he turned his head to see the speaker of the deep voice, it would only be an illusion. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he turned his head slightly, just enough so his eyes could settle on the person reclining on the sofa.

His hand dropped from the door handle as his body turned the rest of the way and his eyes focused on the raven-haired male who wore an amused, but cautious look on his face. Silently, Itachi held out his hand in a beckoning gesture and Naruto felt his feet move his body forward. A cool hand wrapped around his wrist as soon as he was close enough and gently pulled him down; arranging their bodies so they rested comfortably against each other.

Naruto's breath hitched as pale fingers came up to cup his face and they carefully brushed underneath his eyes. One hand slowly moved past his face and came around to rest on the back of his head while the other trailed down to settle on his back. Naruto let his body sink against the warmth of the other body and the hand on his back gripped him tighter.

"I missed you too, Naruto."

Naruto buried his face into the crock of Itachi's neck and let out a shaky breath, "Itachi…" His hands tightened against the fabric of Itach's shirt while his heart raced against his ribcage.

Hesitant hands came up and cupped his face, pulling it closer so warm air fanned over their faces. Dark eyes searched his face as they searched for any discomfort at being held so closely and after finding none, Itachi slowly brought his face closer. Naruto's eyes lowered slightly as he allowed himself to be pulled closer and he shifted his arms so they rested behind Itachi's neck.

Soft lips met each other, tentatively at first as though to test the waters but each time they met again the ferocity increased until Itachi finally caught Naruto's lip between his teeth, keeping them together. He swiped at the abused lips and Naruto parted them slightly, allowing Itachi the entrance he sought. A low groan sounded from the back of his throat at the feeling of being so close again and he gripped the blond locks tighter.

He wasn't letting him go after this; he couldn't live without Naruto. Already he could feel the tension leaving his shoulders as his body relaxed against the sofa as Naruto pressed him into the cushions and he wrapped his arms around Naruto once again. They pulled apart, a thin trail of saliva connecting them before Naruto licked at his lips, making it break.

Itachi raised his hand to wipe away the wetness and was about to pull him down again when a loud grumbling interrupted them. He pressed his hand against Naruto's stomach and chuckled at the blush that crept up his face. Naruto groaned and buried his head into Itachi's chest, feeling the tremors that wracked his body as he found humor in the situation.

"Shut up." He moaned, "I haven't eaten since this morning."

Itachi  shifted so he could sit up, allowing Naruto to slide down into his lap, "Then shall we get something to eat?" He asked, "My car is outside."

Naruto shook his head, "I have lunch upstairs and if Konan finds out that I left, she'll hunt me down." He stood up and held out his hand, "Come on. No one else can get into the loft so we'll have it to ourselves."

He grumbled at not being able to take Naruto somewhere nicer but somehow he didn't think that Naruto would want to visit some high-end restaurant. Instead, he allowed Naruto to grab his wrist and pull him towards the door where he punched in a code. The lock clicked open and he vanished into the darkened hallway, illuminated by lamps that hung on the wall.

Itachi followed Naruto as they moved up the wooden steps; his eyes trained on the perfect bottom in front of him. He shook his head to clear his mind and instead tried to focus his mind on something else. Like trying to find out the best ways to convince Naruto to stay with him.

Warm air rushed over his body as they entered the large reading room and the smell of coffee filled his nose. His eyes took in the spacious room that was filled with bookshelves that lined the walls while several sofas and tables were situated in the middle of the room. He almost expected to find a fireplace crackling in the corner, but instead found a small kitchenette.

"A lot of the employees come here for their lunch break and since I come here so much, they said I could use it to escape the crowds. Besides, they hold books up here for me and I can use this room while I do some research." Naruto said as he pulled out his lunch from a small refrigerator.

Itachi sat on one of the couches while Naruto scrambled around the small area. He blinked in surprise when a cup hovered next to his face and he took it carefully, feeling the warmth spread into his fingers. He inhaled the coffee smell before taking a sip, allowing the warm liquid to run down his throat while Naruto set a sandwich in front of him.

With a huff, Naruto dropped into the seat next to him and tore into his own food. Silence overtook them as they each compiled their thoughts and it wasn't until Naruto was halfway though his sandwich that he set it aside, sighing lightly. Itachi's eyes flickered over to him and watched as he wrapped his hands around the cup of hot chocolate.

He was about to question the action when Naruto's mouth opened, "I'm sorry Itachi."

The unspoken words of 'I can't be with you' seemed to hang in the air and for a second Itachi forgot how to breathe. It only took a moment for him to blink and turn his head away from Naruto as he carefully guarded his face again. The meticulously crafted plan to see Naruto more had crumbled apart in his mind and he jumped when he felt a soft touch on his arm.

He slowly shifted so he was looking towards Naruto again and flinched when he saw the pain etched deep in the blue eyes. "I tried." He said, "I tried so hard to get a hold of you, but every time I ducked out. I even found your office but I could never get myself to push the door open and see you. I thought…I thought you would have moved on since I left."

"Why would I try to find someone else?" Itachi murmured softly.

"Because there are other people out there." Naruto answered slowly, "And you can have anyone you want."

Itachi leaned forward so he could take the cup out of Naruto's grip. Once it was set on the table, he grasped Naruto's chin so he could see his eyes, "You're the only one I want; no one else can take your place."

He shifted his grip so his hands rested on Naruto's shoulders and slowly laid down, pulling Naruto with him. Naruto squirmed against him so he could rest more comfortably and let Itachi run a hand through his hair. Underneath the soft shirt, he could hear the beating of his heart while his chest expanded every time he breathed in.

"How did you find my office?"

Naruto raised his head, "You're all over the internet; you even have a Wikipedia page!" Laughter escaped his throat at the memory before he continued, "But your company has a website and I was able to find the address there. I didn't know where else to look."

"You left so quickly that night; I didn't get to say goodbye." Itachi stated.

Naruto nodded, "My father thought it would be better if he did my counseling rather than send me to see another doctor." Itachi's eyebrow rose as Naruto's face grew red, "But he, uh, decided that after the first session it might be awkward for us to discuss my problem. Apparently, we're both uncomfortable talking about why I would call out your name in the middle of the night."

Naruto's face was bright red and he ducked his head when he finished his sentence. When no response came from Itachi, he cautiously peeked up to gauge his face and he found that Itachi was watching him intently.

"Would you care to elaborate those dreams for me?" He asked and a smug smirk slipped over his features.

"No!" Naruto groaned, "It was bad enough with my dad. I thought the whole 'your growing up and your body is changing' talk was awkward but this was so much worse. Try explaining to your dad why you're crawling over him at night while muttering your name!"

His eyes widened when he realized what he said and he started to babble nonsense while Itachi simply stared at him. It wasn't until he felt Itachi's body start to shake underneath him that he noticed Itachi was laughing at him. He started to yell at him that it wasn't funny and the whole situation that night had been down right horrifying and embarrassing but his protesting was cut off when Itachi pulled him down.

"It's rather endearing." He said and nipped at his earlobe, "That you thought about me like that. Should I make those dreams a reality?"

A groan escaped his lips at the thought but he shook his head, "Not here."

Itachi hummed as he realized that Naruto hadn't completely turned him down but rather left it open for a later discussion. He pressed a kiss to the side of his cheek and trailed down his neck, pausing to suck on small patches of skin. Once he was done leaving marks, he glanced up at Naruto again.

"What about…everything else that happened." He asked carefully, "How are you on that subject?"

Naruto grew silent as he tried to formulate the thoughts in his mind before he answered, "Kakashi is in a mental institute in his home city, about fifteen hours from here. My father speaks to the doctors there but they can't really tell us much about his condition, only that he's secure."

"You know it wasn't your fault."

"I know, but I trusted him so much and I didn't know what to do after that. We found another doctor named Chiyo, to take over my sessions after my fathers failed attempt and she actually knew what she was doing. She told me that after experiencing a betrayal such as the one I had, it would take a while for me to build back my trust. But she did mention that I would feel more comfortable around certain people and I would be able to trust them quicker."

A small frown settled over Naruto's features, "It made me wonder if I should have stayed at the center instead of running so quickly. I'm sure that if I had stayed, Tsunade would have been able to figure out my problem just as easily as Chiyo." Naruto shifted slightly, "And funny thing, she's Gaara's great, great grandmother. She was so old and was always complaining about Tsunade. I guess they met in college or something."

Itachi chuckled, "Did she ever find out what caused your problem?"

"Well, from what I could understand, Chiyo said that the main problem was due to an unusual pattern in the brain waves. There are five phases of sleep but when my mind tried to go through the phases, it would stop or slow down; kinda like a hiccup. She said that the sleep-sex took place during the irregular pattern."

He paused, "Chiyo gave me some medicine that helps prevent sleepwalking and she is giving me therapy to help keep me from sleepwalking in general. I guess, the sexsomnia is a spinoff from just plain sleepwalking, but it all depends on the state of mind when I go to bed. Certain things can alter what I do at night. In a way, I'm incurable."

Itachi smirked, "So am I. We're both just helpless sleepwalkers who have the tendency to turn into something else."

"You make it sound like we're vampires or werewolves." Naruto stated. He dropped his mouth to Itachi's neck, biting and sucking at it as though he were a creature of the night before pulling away with a grin.

Hands settled on his back and one slipped underneath his shirt, trailing lazily up his spine, "I tried to find you too." Itachi said, "But I couldn't find your name online at all. I was hoping to find your father at least and go from there, but I came up empty handed."

"That's because my dad has his practice under his last name; I took my mom's maiden name instead of my fathers. But as for me, my father is the reason why you couldn't find anything about me online. I think he's worried that Kakashi might try and track me down or someone else will try the same thing. He'll be glad to know that he was so thorough in his efforts."

"But have you come to terms with the past now?" Itachi questioned.

"There are times when I'm still uneasy around people and Chiyo said it was to be expected. She said it was a good thing that I was surrounded by so many people that I knew that day; even if I was terrified of them at first." He nuzzled his face into Itachi's neck, "My mom said I pushed you away after you pulled me from the trunk; that I told you to stay away."

Itachi's hands settled at the base of Naruto's neck while his other hand traced pointless shapes on his back, "It's understandable Naruto. Your parents would be someone you were more comfortable with."

Naruto shivered under the gentle touches and stayed silent, allowing his breath to fan against Itachi's neck. He had felt awful when his mother had told him how he reacted but she reassured him that Itachi probably understood. He didn't pursue it at the time since her words made sense and even now with Itachi telling him it was okay, he didn't want to talk about it.

Several times in order to get Naruto to talk about the incident, Chiyo would have to annoy him enough until he cracked. Often times she would coax him into a figurative corner until he had no way out unless he yelled back at her. And it was only then when Naruto was ranting about everything that had gone on that day, that they where able to make any progress.

That day was a blur of confusion and fear, one that he didn't like to think about, lest it bring up memories that he was slowly coming to terms with. He knew that it would still taking time to fully grasp that day, but he was always willing to put it behind him and try not to think about what could have happened. The truth of the matter was that nothing furtherhappened and he was here now; in Itachi's arms.

And that alone made him feel better.

"Naruto…" Itachi started, his voice sounding slightly strained, "You said that you stopped by my office once or twice; how far away do you live exactly?"

"Huh?" He raised his head, "Oh, I live about thirty minutes or so away from here; depending on traffic. Why?"

Itachi's eyebrow twitched at the statement and he felt as if someone was laughing at him. "You mean to tell me, that we were only an hour; if that, away from each other? This whole time?"

Naruto shrugged and had a sheepish look on his face, "Maybe?"

Dark eyes slid shut and he groaned. He felt Naruto shift on his chest and when he opened his eyes again, he noticed that Naruto was looking at him questionably. He let his hand drop on the soft locks of blond hair and he huffed, "This whole time, I was thinking about how hard it would be to try and find you, not knowing where you could possibly be and you were only an hour away. Are you living with your parents?"

"No, I left a month after leaving the center and I'm living in an apartment just out of town, sharing the rent with Neji. Things were somewhat…awkward after that first incident. My parents live a few hours south of here so we see each other at least twice a month."

Itachi frowned as he remembered the longhaired brunette from the one time they met. The thought that Naruto was staying with another male and was technically incurable, made him uneasy. His fingers threaded through Naruto's hair and he pressed his mouth against Naruto's ear, "Stay with me."

He felt Naruto tense against his body and he feared that he had moved to quickly in asking the question. Slowly, Naruto relaxed against his hold and now it was Itachi's turn to freeze slightly. "I can't Itachi; I don't want to be a burden to you."

"You won't be a burden Naruto and I'd feel better if you were with me."

A snort escaped Naruto's mouth, "You just don't want me staying with Neji."

"Maybe…yeah; that sounds about right. But I do have a logical reason why." Itachi answered, "When you left, I would sleepwalk almost every night and I would always go to your room. Tsunade thought it was strange since I should have gone to Kakashi's room because he hurt you, but I found myself going to your room. Once there, I would crawl into your bed and fall asleep. They ended up letting me stay there after Gaara left."

Naruto's nose crinkled in thought, "Why did you do that?"

"Because I was unconsciously looking for you after you left. I'm always calm when I'm around you and my body seeks you out when you're not there." He sat up slightly so his back was leaning against the armrest and he pulled Naruto back so he could look at him, "I know you won't be a burden because I need you there, I need you by my side."

The faintest signs of wetness appeared in the corners of Naruto's eyes and he bit his lip to keep them at bay. He leaned forward and slowly pressed his lips against Itachi's, capturing him in a gentle but passionate kiss that made heat race through his entire body. He felt Itachi shiver against his body as his hands came up to cup the side of his face, drawing them together even more.

When they broke away, they panted slightly but their gaze never left each other until Naruto muttered something that Itachi couldn't catch. He leaned closer with a smirk, "What was that Naruto?"

Naruto looked away with a faint blush, "I said I'll stay with you."

Itachi placed a chaste kiss on his forehead, "Thank you."

Naruto opened his mouth to say something when the door burst open and Itachi leaned his head back to see who was at the entrance. His grip tightened on Naruto's arms when he noticed the bodyguard standing there with a calm expression on his face while his arms crossed against his chest.

"Naruto, Konan says your break is up and that you're extremely late and that I could use any means to get you downstairs so long as it doesn't involve killing, injuring or maiming you."

"Aren't the last two the same thing?" He asked, removing himself from Itachi's lap.

"Not in my book. Injury pertains to a broken bone. Maiming you would make you disfigured beyond recognition."

A weak laugh escaped Naruto's throat and he quickly vanished from the room, leaving Itachi alone with the bodyguard. Itachi ran his eyes over the man as if trying to see if the man was bluffing. When the man smirked at him, he stood up and pulled out a slip of paper, quickly writing his cell phone number along with an invitation to dinner on the back. He walked to the door and paused next to him.

"Thank you for watching him." He held out his hand, "When you go down, can you give this to him?"

The guard nodded silently and led the way down the stairwell. Itachi slipped through the crowd and paused long enough to watch the man give Naruto the slip of paper. Blue eyes skimmed the paper quickly before his cheeks turned red and he shoved the paper inside his pocket. With the deed done, he headed towards the door, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

He turned around and found himself facing Naruto's editor again. She had a smile on her face and handed Itachi a book, "Don't forget this before you leave. And thank you for coming to see him."

Itachi nodded and took the book from her before heading out to his car. Once inside the car, he leaned the seat back and let his body rest against the seat. He propped the book open on his lap and moved to the page he left off on when black writing caught his attention. Flipping back to the front of the book he stared at the cover where words flowed across the once empty page.

' _They say that the strangest things bring people together and that something most people would think would be a curse can actually turn out to be a gift. In knowing that, I can say that I agree with them. If not for something that I_ _was_ _cursed_ _with_ _when I was younger, I wouldn't have met you and I've come to realize that sometimes the worst things in life can bring about the best things; for even if we hadn't met again today, we would have found each other again. One way or another._

_Naruto'_

He traced his fingers over the freshly dried ink and propped his head up against his hand, staring fondly down at the words. There was something to be said about Naruto and he considered himself lucky that everything worked out. And now that he had Naruto back, he would make sure to enjoy their time together and make sure that Naruto knew how much he cared for him.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out. A text message scrolled across the screen and he felt his lips tip up into a soft smile.

' _Dinner sounds nice; I finish in an hour. Where are we going?'_

Itachi hummed in thought before answering back, ' _Cheesecake Factory; I'm in the mood for something sweet and we never had a chance to go when we were at the center.'_

An answer never came back but he figured that Konan confiscated Naruto's cell phone. For now, he was content to sit back and enjoy the time reading; he would have plenty of opportunities to talk with Naruto once they moved in. He would have to call Kisame and tell him that he was going to take a couple days vacation so he could move Naruto in.

Ah yes, speaking of his dear partner, he still needed to think of a way to pay the man back for nearly driving him insane today.


	17. Coming Full Circle

Wedding bells tolled in the high towers, making birds fly away, cooing in annoyance as their peaceful day was disturbed. They took to the sky in a fit of falling feathers, allowing the soft winged objects to float down to the ground in a slow swinging motion. Amidst the pigeons that had been roosting there, a lone raven had taken shelter from the sun in the bell tower until it had been scared away as well.

Now, its lone black feather leisurely drifted down as well, landing softly on a head of blond hair. It stayed there until it was discovered and plucked away by pale fingers. They twirled it around before letting it go and allowing the wind to catch it.

"Outdoor weddings are ridiculous."

"I like them; you get to enjoy the fresh air that comes only in the country. You can't get it from the top floor of your office building in the middle of the city."

"It has a nice view."

"It's a nicer view out here."

Itachi opened his mouth to retort but bit his lip. His eyes scanned over the rolling hills and sparkling lake that bounced the suns reflection off it, occasionally catching the scales of fish. Finally, his eyes turned to the blond sitting next to him dressed in a crisp black suit and he threaded his fingers through Naruto's, bringing them to his lips. This, he decided, was the nicest view out here.

"You're right, it's a nice view."

Naruto flashed him a bright smile and leaned back into the white chair. While he loved to play in the snow during the winter months, summer was his favorite time. The sun was always out and the weather was never too hot or cold; it always seemed to be the right temperature. His eyes tilted up to look at the passing white clouds that blotted the blue sky before drawing his gaze to the person next to Itachi.

He frowned when he realized that Sasuke was asleep and he reached behind Itachi to give the other person a sharp pinch. Black eyes flashed open quickly and shot a glare at him, to which he responded with a shrug. "Don't fall asleep next time Sasuke."

"You were the one who dragged me to this wedding."

"You still shouldn't fall asleep; that's just rude."

Soft fingers brushed against the back of Naruto's hand and Itachi turned to his brother, "Hush Sasuke. It won't kill you to stay awake and watch; you might learn something."

Sasuke opened his mouth to argue but the sounds of the pipe organ silenced him. Almost as if on cue, all the bodies turned in their chairs to see the figure in white appear underneath the arch of greenery. A solemn and stern looking man stood next to the figure and despite the hard face that he wore; he silently worried his lip to keep the tears at bay.

In front of them, two young girls pranced down the aisle, tossing pink rose petals onto the carpet while a small boy tottered after them; proudly holding a pillow with rings. The procession made their way down the walkway and when they passed by the closet row to the front Naruto grinned and flashed them a thumbs up. The bride grinned back at him before continuing on her way to the alter.

"Did he propose himself?" Itachi asked, leaning over slightly so their shoulders brushed.

Naruto nodded and whispered back, "Yeah, and he bought the ring himself, but I think we know who wear's the pants in this relationship."

As if sensing that someone was talking about him, Shikamaru turned his eyes towards the first row of chairs. Naruto flashed an innocent smile and waved, making the genius sigh and turn his attention back to the female standing before him. He had wanted something simple for a wedding, something like getting married at the court; that was easy.

This; this was troublesome.

He heard Naruto snicker at him in the front row and he cast his eyes up to the few clouds that littered the sky before sighing again. A polite cough brought his eyes back to the female in front of him and he pushed the thoughts from his mind. He could deal with this troublesome wedding for her.

Sure, it was a pain to sit through the multiple meetings that dealt with the planning and he really didn't care which color napkins were set at the table. In fact, most of the time he had been away during the meetings with the exception of the ones that he was dragged to. But looking around the lush countryside, tucked away from any sights or sounds of the busy city, he knew it was worth it.

It was a nice day outside; just windy enough to provide comfort and it wasn't overly bright. All his friends were here and as far as weddings went, it was running rather smoothly.

And Ino looked gorgeous; he supposed that's all that really mattered.

His eyes shifted over to Naruto who had pulled a few strings and was able to book the area for the occasion. Naruto's blue eyes shone with excitement while the Uchiha's were more concealed; wedding excitement was something Naruto would enjoy more and his enthusiasm during the planning stages was contagious.

But despite the masked eyes that Itachi wore, Shikamaru could see the soft glances that were directed towards Naruto when he thought no one was looking; they were filled with affection and kindness. Those looks alone were enough to put Shikamaru's mind at ease and now he didn't bother to drill question after question into the man as Neji had a few months ago.

Instead, he had sat on the sofa while Naruto ran through the doorway with boxes and listened to Neji question Itachi. Neji hadn't been pleased when he had learned that Naruto was moving in with Itachi and feared that Itachi would try to take advantage of their friend. Shikamaru had to admit that he had been worried about that as well when he had first heard the news and his protective side flared up.

So while Naruto packed the small moving van with boxes, unaware of the ever-growing tension in the apartment, he watched the two debate. It was rather amusing to watch the two stand toe to toe as they argued and he could practically see the sparks shooting from their eyes. Several times, Naruto would pop back in and stare at them with his head cocked to the side, wondering why they would stop talking whenever he entered the room.

It was only out of the love for their friend that they stayed silent, not wanting to draw either his wrath or spark a concern over the subject. Instead, he would shrug it off and leave with more boxes, allowing the argument to continue. It wasn't until Naruto was finished packing the van and had launched himself at Itachi, that the genius had been able to see the hidden affection in Itachi's eyes.

He was waiting for the man to snap at Naruto for the harsh treatment, but instead, he accepted the tackle with a small chuckle. His arms moved back automatically to catch the Naruto and keep him in place on his back while he turned slightly. His eyes danced with humor at Naruto's excitement and his lips tilted up softly as Naruto pressed closer to him.

The small display of care and affection made Shikamaru realize that Naruto would be in good hands. Because, despite what he thought would happen; Itachi didn't turn back towards Neji with a smug look on his face but instead stayed focused on Naruto, listening to him talk. All the anger and frustration from the earlier argument had vanished, leaving behind soft dark eyes that only wished to protect Naruto.

With that, Shikamaru stood up and ushered Neji from his own apartment, telling him that they should see Naruto off. Neji stared at him as though he had lost his mind but he ignored the look and continued downstairs. Itachi and Naruto followed shortly after, with Itachi still carrying a happy Naruto.

"Do you, Shikamaru, take Ino to be your wife?"

Well damn, they were that close already? Maybe he should have been listening a little more carefully.

He responded quickly to the question and listened as Ino agreed as well before the priest stepped back to allow them their first kiss as husband and wife. They pulled apart and he watched as Ino smiled to the cheering crowd, and he allowed his mind to drift away one last time. His eyes settled on Neji, who was still upset about losing his roommate and was giving Itachi an evil glare.

Perhaps today would be the best day for Neji to come to peace with Itachi, after all, with Naruto around; anything could happen.

* * *

If there was one thing that Naruto wanted to help plan, it was the food. After sitting through the ceremony all morning, his stomach was growling for food and the sight of the large buffet before him made his mouth water. Itachi placed a calming hand on his shoulder and he squirmed in place as the line in front of him moved slowly.

He hadn't heard of the catering service, but it was someone that Itachi had used a few times before when dealing with company functions so he was able to get a discount for them. And because he knew the caterers, they were able to send out samplings of the foods offered and Naruto had had a field day trying all the different plates.

Behind him, Itachi could feel Sasuke shift slightly closer to his person as to keep the bridesmaids away. He chuckled a little and pushed his brother forward so he was sandwiched between Naruto and himself, earning a sigh of relief from Sasuke. However, his stunt now had him standing next to Neji and he could feel the man drilling holes into his head.

"Aw, they didn't pick the cheesecake after all." Naruto stated from down the line.

Sasuke snorted, "Of course not, it would be expensive to get enough for everyone." He sighed and pushed the small dish of ice cream towards Naruto, "Here, you can have my ice cream if it'll shut you up."

Naruto stuck out his tongue at Sasuke but still accepted the offered bowl before walking off towards a table with Sasuke right behind. Itachi nodded his thanks as his plate was handed back to him and he followed the line. When he reached the end, his eyes skimmed over the servers standing by the wall and quickly found the one he was looking for.

"Mr. Uchiha, we have the package that you requested." The female said as she stepped forward to greet him.

He smiled slightly and accepted the black box, "Thank you."

She nodded to him and vanished back to the line of servers, as he made his way to the table. He took his seat next to Naruto while Neji decided to take a seat across the table and glare some more. Itachi ignored the man and set the small box next to Naruto.

Naruto cocked his head, making Itachi's lips twitch and he simply answered, "It's for you."

Naruto slid his finger under the opening, unclasping the small Styrofoam clasp, allowing the top to swing open. His mouth dropped at the item setting in the black box and the next moment, Itachi had a blond in his lap, happily nuzzling his face.

Sasuke scowled at the offending object in the box and pushed it further away from his plate; he didn't want the sugar anywhere near his food. It was bad enough that his brother liked sweets, but adding Naruto into the picture meant that something sweet was always found at his brothers' home.

"How'd you get that Itachi?" Neji asked, staring at the thick slice of cheesecake sitting innocently in the box.

Itachi looked over Naruto's head at the man and shrugged, "I know the caterer and asked if they could bring a slice for me."

"Why?"

Itachi wound his arms around Naruto's waist, "Because it wasn't on the original menu and I knew that he liked it."

Neji was oddly silent as he picked up his glass of wine and sipped at it. His pale eyes stared at his food intently and Itachi wondered if he had broken the man but decided to keep his mouth shut. Naruto shifted on his lap and he loosened his arms so Naruto could turn around and slid back into his seat, but not before pressing a quick kiss to Itachi's cheek.

* * *

"Come on Sasuke, you have to have one dance." Naruto coaxed, tugging at Sasuke's hand.

"No." Sasuke firmly stated and turned his head towards the side in a pout.

Naruto grunted, "Fine, I'll just leave you alone and let one of those girls over there drag you onto the dance floor."

Sasuke bolted from the chair and Naruto laughed as he was pulled onto the dance floor. Itachi chuckled from his seat and sipped at a glass of water. He watched as Sasuke awkwardly tried to position his hands on Naruto until Naruto huffed and did it for him. Sasuke's face was tinted slightly pink due to embarrassment as he bowed his head and admitted that he had never danced before.

Itachi watched with amusement as Naruto bit his lip to keep from laughing before carefully guiding his brother through simple dance steps. It took a while for Sasuke to get the moves down and he stumbled every now and then, but Naruto was there to help him along the way, putting him at ease.

"I thought that Uchiha's were supposed to be graceful."

Itachi turned around and regarded Neji carefully, "We're only human, like everyone else."

Neji was silent before answering, "Humans make mistakes and can sometimes hurt others."

"You're human Neji, as is Naruto." Itachi answered, turning his attention back to Naruto, who was trying to get Sasuke to two-step.

"I know and humans are also protective of the ones they consider close." Itachi turned back to Neji and allowed the man to continue, "I know he cares deeply for you and I want him to be happy but I also want to know that he'll be safe and cared for back."

A snort sounded from behind them, "I don't think you'll have to worry about that. Itachi cares about him." They both turned around and Gaara continued, "He may not show it like Naruto does, but instead, shows it more like we would. In a quiet and protective way."

Neji sighed, "I know, I just wanted to make sure." He moved away from the two, "But I'll always worry about him anyway."

"Charming." Gaara said as Neji walked away, "He reminds me of Minato in his protective ways."

Itachi shivered, "Please don't."

"Ah, so you met his parents more formally did you?"

"It was slightly awkward." Itachi answered, trying to keep that memory at bay. It wasn't as though it was awful, but it was one experience he wasn't in a hurry to repeat.

"Gaara!" A blond blur launched itself at the redhead and enveloped him in a hug. "Come dance with me!"

"No."

"Please?" Naruto pouted, "Sasuke isn't a good dancer and Itachi is tired."

Gaara sighed and ran a hand over his face before allowing Naruto to lead him to the dance floor. Sasuke groaned and flopped down in a chair next to Itachi, "He has too much energy. I don't know how you keep up with him."

Itachi chuckled as Sasuke let his head fall onto the table. Despite his protesting, he could tell that his brother was having a good time and it was an attribute of Naruto's personality to make sure that those close to him were having fun. He had done it countless times at the center and by doing the same to Sasuke, showed that he wanted Sasuke to relax more.

"Well, look who's here; the picky little raven who doesn't like sweets."

Sasuke tensed up at the voice and slowly turned around, "What the hell are you doing here?"

White teeth flashed in a grin, "Sakura and I are working with the catering and Sakura knew Ino to begin with, so here we are."

Sasuke stood up, "I'm going to get some fresh air."

The man snorted with laughter as Sasuke made a quick get away and then shouted when someone hit him over the head, "Suigetsu, be nice." Sakura scolded before turning to Itachi, "Hey Itachi."

"Sakura, how are you doing?"

"Life's good." She answered, shooing Suigetsu away while telling him to play nice. "I'm glad I was able to get some time off to come to the wedding, Ino is an old friend. Why are you here?"

"Naruto is friends with the groom." Itachi answered and shifted in his chair as Naruto trotted off the dance floor. "He didn't want me to miss out on all the good food."

Sakura grinned, "Yes, well, we all know about that cheesecake that you asked for Mr. Uchiha. But I think everyone seemed to find it rather endearing; but now you've lost your edge." A shout came from the front of the hall and the female turned her head towards the noise, "They're getting ready to throw the bouquet, are you coming?"

Itachi shook his head, "I'm fine right here." He said and watched as Sakura walked towards the large group of people standing near a chair. Now that Sakura was gone, Naruto came up and with a soft sigh, plopped down on Itachi's lap.

"I'm tired." He stated and let his head fall on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Too much dancing?"

"Your brother isn't very good at it and it required a lot of energy." Naruto answered, pressing his warm body against Itachi's, "He must not have learned from you in that department."

Itachi laughed and brought his arms up so they circled Naruto's waist. His eyes flickered towards the large mass of people and his eyebrow rose when he noticed his brother in the pack. He was certain that it hadn't been Sasuke's intent to be there, but now he was trapped by the females hopping to catch the small bundle of flowers.

There was just something about the whole thing that just made him chuckle and Naruto blinked sleepily at him before disregarding it. With a sigh, he closed his eyes again, allowing Itachi to watch the theatrics alone.

* * *

Sasuke scowled as he was jarred again and he wondered how he had gotten into this mess. He remembered seeing Sakura making her way towards his spot on the wall and he had tried to bolt the other way, only to be caught in this pit of people.

His eyes settled on a lone female standing on a metal chair with a bouquet in hand. He grunted as someone elbowed him in the stomach and he wondered what was so exciting about tossing flowers into a crowd. It wasn't like if you caught the thing you actually had to marry someone; the whole idea was just plain stupid.

He was too busy questioning the sanity of the wedding goers and promising himself that he would never do something like this, that he missed Ino tossing the bouquet. Screams were the only thing that pulled him from his thoughts and he glanced up in time to see the bundle bounce off outstretched fingers. It seemed to happen in slow motion though as gravity pulled the flowers down and smacked him right in the face before dropping into his hands.

At the same time the flowers were hitting his face, he was pushed to the side by someone trying to reach for the bundle and his feet tangled together. He hit the ground with a grunt but his body connected with something much softer than the harsh tile floor. When he blinked his eyes clear, they focused on an amused face who seemed to be having too much enjoyment with their whole position.

The disappointed wails of everyone were lost on Sasuke, as were the slight snickers of the perverted minds that slunk away. With a laugh, pale fingers reached up to pull the flowers from his tightly clasped hand and inhaled the scent.

"You know, most people don't give crushed flowers to people they like."

Sasuke scoffed and pulled the flowers back, "What makes you think I like you."

"You haven't moved yet and you have this small little red tint; called a blush across your face." He purred, "And since we had a rocky start when we first met, let's start over. Hi, I'm Suigetsu and you are?"

"Sasuke."

"Sasuke…" The man said, rolling the name on his tongue, "I know this great little coffee shop a few blocks from here, they have the best coffee and biscotti's this side of town."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow, "Are you hitting on me?"

Suigetsu chuckled, "If that's what you think then maybe, but you know you like the attention."

Sasuke scoffed and stood up, allowing the man below him to get to his feet as well. "My car or yours?" He asked, walking towards the side door. His eyes settled on his brother who was watching with mild interest and he paused when he reached Itachi. Naruto was passed out on Itachi's lap with his head pressed firmly into Itachi's neck while his brother kept a watchful eye on him.

A smirk crossed his face as he flicked Naruto's ear, pulling him from his dreamland. He tilted his head back lazily, his eyes still heavy with sleep and Sasuke dropped the bouquet in their laps, "I think you two need this more than I do."

The blush that settled across Naruto's cheeks made him chuckle as he walked away and caught up with Suigetsu. Once they left, Itachi set the flowers off to the side and Naruto slumped forward again, muttering curses to Sasuke for waking him up and making him lose his warm body. Itachi ran his fingers through the blond locks and chuckled at his antics, knowing that if he hadn't just woken up, Naruto would be chasing after his brother.

But as it was, he was more content to stay close then leave Itachi.

* * *

"I want to be a racecar driver."

Itachi looked down at Naruto who was curled up against his side, "Should I ask why?"

Naruto gestured to the television, "Doesn't that look cool? Racing around at high speeds; legally."

Itachi rolled his eyes at the explanation and trailed his fingers down Naruto's bare sides, drawing a gasp from Naruto. Itachi leaned down to capture his lips while tanned arms wrapped around his back, pulling him closer. Ever since Naruto had moved in, they spent every Saturday night together watching a movie or doing something that Itachi had been denied in childhood.

Naruto was bound and determined to make Itachi relax more by pulling him away from his six-day workload. He stated that Itachi should have more fun in his life and the only way he could do that was if he took the entire weekend off and didn't focus on work. It had started simple, with Naruto bringing home a movie from the store and begging to watch it.

After that, every weekend they would end up watching a movie and before Itachi could catch on, Naruto had been able to worm his way into his normal routine and break it apart. Not that Itachi could complain to the change, as he loved to spend time with Naruto. And more often than not, their Saturday movie nights usually ended with cuddling, soft kisses and gentle touches.

And some not so innocent touches.

The remote fell to the floor as Itachi draped his body over Naruto's and Naruto pressed himself into the cushions of the couch. He nipped at the tan skin before running a tongue over the mark, all the while wondering if Naruto was going to let him continue tonight. All the other past nights had been quiet, the two becoming reacquainted after being apart for so long.

And while Itachi wanted nothing more than to ravish Naruto most of those nights, he held back until Naruto seemed ready. The whole incident from the center still stayed in the back of his mind during their moments of intimacy and he was always careful to keep his desires in check. Sure, it left him rather frustrated and horny at night but it wasn't worth continuing if it would harm Naruto.

So he would carefully watch his blue eyes and body language, waiting for the subtle change that showed he was uncomfortable before backing away. Naruto would always blink at him curiously, as the lust clouded eyes faded away, giving rise to understanding and he would retreat to his side of the couch to finish watching the movie. They would stay still during the rest and neither would make a move to get closer again; leaving Itachi to deal with his raging hard on.

But now, Naruto was frantically sucking on his neck while soft cries escaped his mouth whenever Itachi moved just right. His lips descended onto Naruto's, their tongues quickly intertwining, drawing a moan from Naruto's throat. Itachi's fingers slipped up the bare chest to tweak the dusky nipples and Naruto broke the kiss as a keening noise escaped his mouth, making Itachi chuckle.

He could feel the males' arousal straining against the boxers and his fingers trailed down to the waistband, pausing slightly to play with his happy trail. They dipped slightly inside and he could feel the curls of hair touch his fingers when the phone rang.

They both jumped and Itachi yanked his hand away while Naruto panted harshly; his cheeks tinted red and his eyes glazed over with unshed lust. The answering machine kicked on in the kitchen and Kisame's voice echoed throughout the room.

"Hey boss, just wanted to thank you for this vacation. The beach is awesome and the view from the hotel is amazing; did you know you could feed sharks here too? I'll have to take a picture or something for you, but anyway, just letting you know how your partner is doing and that I send my love. Haha. Tell Naruto I said hi."

Naruto looked up at Itachi as the phone clicked off, leaving them in silence again, "You sent him on a vacation?"

"He deserved it." Itachi answered, "I know that he went through a lot to set up our meeting in the bookstore and we just finished signing a major contract; I can afford to give him some time off."

Naruto smiled, "That was nice of you." He said with a smirk and raised his hips up, showing that he was still aroused. Itachi hissed at the friction and ground down harshly on Naruto's hips, drawing a moan from him. "I think you deserve something nice."

He gestured for Itachi to lay back and waited for his back to touch the sofa before nestling his body in between Itachi's legs. His fingers swiftly attacked the button on the pants and then took the zipper in his teeth, pausing to glance at Itachi. He shivered when the smoldering dark eyes lingered on him and he pulled the metal clasp down.

With a quick tug, the pants were pulled off and Naruto's eyes gleamed with mischief as they eyed the bulge behind the fabric. A tentative tongue flickered out to tease the skin above the elastic band while soft fingers trailed down Itachi's sides, making him squirm at the touch. Itachi's breath hitched as a wet mouth nipped at the fabric and just as those teasing fingers slipped inside the waistband; the phone rang, again.

Itachi's hips jerked at the noise, making Naruto tug at the boxers harshly. He hissed as the material rubbed against his rigid length and then froze as cold air hit his heated flesh. His eyes drifted back down towards Naruto who was intent on ignoring the constant ringing as his warm hand wrapped around his pulsing member and gave it a slow, leisurely pump.

The ringing stopped and by now, Itachi couldn't remember that it had been ringing to begin with as his eyes slipped shut. He faintly heard a click coming from the kitchen but he disregarded it until Kisame's voice echoed again, "Well, seeing as I'm being ignored and you never ignore me or a call; I think it's safe to say someone finally cracked and jumped the other and now you two are proceeding to screw each others minds out.

Naruto's hand stopped moving and Itachi's eyes snapped open.

"I can tell when I'm not needed so I'll just let you two keep going on your hump fest and pause only to remind you, Naruto to take it easy on my boss. He's still a vir-"

The answering machine went flying across the room and Itachi was pleased when it collided with the wall; breaking into several pieces. He'd attack the one in the kitchen later after he flew down to the beach Kisame was staying on and then proceed to murder the man. He felt Naruto's warm body roll away as he left the couch and disappeared down the hall quietly and Itachi cursed.

There was no way anything was going to happen tonight, the mood was ruined and his anger at Kisame had made any thoughts of lust vanish completely. And it would be a while before they had time again to themselves. Next week was a busy time for them since he had several meetings and Naruto was going across town to talk to some publishers.

Their time would be hit and miss for the next few weeks and he let out a groan. This couldn't be healthy for him.

* * *

Itachi sighed unhappily at the stack of papers in front of him; good help was so hard to find these days. He had asked his secretary to file the folders two days ago after making copies of them. Instead, she had done neither of them and now he would have to stay late to do it himself. The woman had already been fired and he had placed an ad in the paper but he couldn't wait to get the filing done until someone new came in.

Usually this wouldn't be a problem, but this was a night that Naruto was home as well and he had already promised him they'd do something together. He was dreading the call that he was going to have to make, but there was no way he could let this mess pile up. The accounting team needed to submit the monthly income report and they would need the papers tomorrow. If something was out of place, then it would slow down the process and they would be late in submitting the report.

He grabbed the stack of papers and started to place them on the copier while pressing the speed dial on his new phone. Naruto picked up after two rings and his cheerful voice made Itachi cringe.

"Naruto, I'm sorry, but I'm going to be home late tonight. My secretary didn't file the papers like I asked her and if we're late in submitting the income report we'll be in trouble." He said softly as the copier hummed in the background.

Naruto was silent on the other end and for a moment, Itachi had feared that he had hung up, but finally Naruto's voice answered back quietly, "Its okay Itachi, I understand."

"Naruto…"

He laughed, "Really, it's okay Itachi. There are just something's that you can't help. We'll watch the movie next week, right?"

Itachi's head whipped in the direction of the phone, "Next week?" He asked, "Why next week?"

"I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon but it'll take five hours to get there, so I'm leaving in the morning."

Pale hands gripped the phone tighter. He knew that by the time Naruto came back, it would be late and that next week he had his own meetings now that Kisame was coming back tomorrow night. His eyes lowered slightly as he realized that it was getting harder and harder to see Naruto and he had never intended for it be this way.

"I'll try to hurry and come back as soon as I can."

"Don't rush Itachi; if you make a mistake then it'll turn around to bite you later." Naruto scolded, remembering the same speech Konan gave him every time he hurried to submit a new chapter. "I'll see you when you get back."

He didn't leave much room for argument and Itachi told him goodnight before turning back to the stack of papers. If he started now, he could be back home before ten and maybe Naruto would still be awake. He grabbed at a small folder and pulled it from the stack, shouting as the heap tilted to the side and slumped to the floor.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

When Itachi walked into the bedroom, he wasn't surprised to see Naruto already asleep. He was going to have to leave in a few hours and he wouldn't want to drive and risk falling asleep. Silently, he moved around the bathroom so he could get ready for bed and then slipped under the heavy blankets. Naruto shifted slightly at the subtle dip in the mattress but otherwise didn't wake up.

With a sigh, Itachi rolled onto his side and closed his eyes. It had been a long day and an even longer night, and all he wanted to do was go to sleep. Perhaps he would go into work tomorrow since Naruto would be gone all day and he could get a head start on his work. This way, it would clear up his schedule later on in the week.

Thought in mind, Itachi let his mind drift off and he slowly slipped into a light sleep.

Thirty minutes later, he felt something heavy drape itself across his body, followed by a wet feeling on his neck. His head tilted to the side as he tried to escape the feeling, but instead, something bit down on his exposed throat, sending a line of heat racing down his body. He shivered and felt slight pressure on his hips as the weight pressed down.

The action continued for a few more minutes and it wasn't until his hips were subtly rocking back that his eyes snapped open. They quickly settled on a blurry figure over him but the vision sharpened after a few blinks and his hands reached up to stop the grinding hips.

"Naruto." He called, trying to wake up Naruto up. The motion stopped but Naruto didn't wake up, instead, he dropped his head to suck on a pale earlobe and Itachi bit back a moan. Finally, he seemed to stop and Itachi panted harshly as Naruto's head hovered next to his ear. "Are you still asleep?"

A chuckle sounded in his ear before a husky voice whispered back, "No."

Itachi smirked and rolled them over, looking down into amused blue eyes, "Good."

Naruto groaned as Itachi bit at his exposed neck and he felt Naruto thread his fingers through his hair. "You know, you're very hard to wake up." He stated as his hands trailed down his back, "But look, you're not so tense anymore; you were so uptight when you came into bed."

Itachi winced, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

Another laugh escaped Naruto's throat, "Who said I was asleep?" He asked, as his hand dipped below Itachi's boxers, giving the length a harsh squeeze. "You took a little longer to come home then I thought, but sometimes I can be patient." His hand started to move and he felt Itachi shudder above him, "I don't know why you would always stop all those times, but I can tell you're excited."

Itachi bit his lip to keep the groan at bay as he felt Naruto tease the tip and his control almost snapped there. "I didn't want to push you." He panted out, allowing his head to drop in the crock of Naruto's neck.

The hand stopped, "Really? Because I was concerned that you were either nervous or worried about staining the couch; and if it was the latter, I would have bought you a new one."

He grabbed Naruto's wrist and pulled it out of his boxers before capturing Naruto's lips. His tongue slipped past the open mouth and stroked at the wet muscle while underneath him, Naruto desperately bucked his hips up, asking for attention. With a smirk, Itachi lowered his body onto Naruto's, hissing when their erections brushed against each other.

His mouth trailed down Naruto's chest, pausing to take a pebbled nub into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it. Naruto arched into the touch and he yelped when Itachi bit down on the nipple. After lavishing the same attention on the other one, Itachi licked his way down the taunt stomach and his tongue swirled around the small dip.

Beneath him, Naruto writhed and his muscles clenched as Itachi continued to tease him. He jumped though when Naruto tugged at his boxers, pulling them off his body and letting them pool at his knees. With a small kick, he let them drop to the floor and grunted when Naruto pushed him onto his back. He felt him straddle his hips and rock slightly.

"I unplugged all the phones, computers, the cell phones are turned off, and my meeting tomorrow has been canceled; no one is going to stop us." Naruto said, his eyelids lowered and his eyes feral as he ground down, "Do you want this?"

Itachi thought it should have been the other way around in asking that question but breathed out, "Yes; you have no idea how much I want you Naruto."

Naruto nodded and paused to strip off his own boxers before sitting back down on Itachi's lap. He squirmed so Itachi's erection nestled against his bottom and he watched as Itachi's face contorted in pleasure at the feeling and bucked his hips upwards. A grin spread across his face as his fingers traced down his stomach, making small bumps appear on the heated skin.

He slipped off his lap and settled between his legs, feeling Itachi's eyes watching him intently. His opened his mouth and ran his tongue from the base to the top, smearing the pre-cum around the tip. Swirling his tongue around the top, his eyes peeked up and locked with Itachi's as he grazed his teeth over the tip, drawing a throaty moan from Itachi.

Keeping his attention on Itachi, he slowly engulfed the length, swallowing around it once he reached as far as he could. Itachi tossed his head back and bit his lip to keep from cumming right then; he could feel his muscles clenching, desperately working to keep the orgasm at bay. The smoldering eyes stayed locked with his as he continued bobbing his head, pausing occasionally to tease the small slit.

A small hum escaped Naruto's throat and he cursed as his hips jerked forward. His control was quickly breaking apart and he could feel the coil of heat about to snap if Naruto didn't stop now. As if sensing his desire to stop, Naruto grasped his hips to prevent him from moving and sucked harshly, making the coil snap. With a loud cry, Itachi felt the orgasm rush over him as Naruto swallowed everything that he had to offer. Finally, he pulled back leisurely and sucked on the spent tip before releasing it, allowing a thin trail of saliva to connect them before it broke.

Itachi groaned as his body rippled from the after affects and he lazily watched as Naruto leaned back over him, grabbing a bottle of lotion from the drawer. His eyes tracked Naruto's movements as he covered his fingers with the slippery substance and they widened as he watched one of those fingers trailed down a tanned body. It circled around the puckered entrance and then slipped inside.

A moan escaped Itachi as he watched Naruto prepare himself; his arousal back with full force and he swore that it had to be the most erotic thing he had ever seen. Soft gasps and whines bubbled from Naruto's throat as he pushed a second finger in and continued to stretch the tight entrance. His fingers brushed against his prostate and he cried out in pleasure.

After adding a third finger, he slowly opened his eyes to reveal dark blue eyes clouded over with lust. His hips were pushing back on his fingers and he heard a growl come from Itachi before the digits were removed and replaced with Itachi's slickened ones. He cried out as the pale fingers moved deeper than his own and constantly brushed against the bundle of nerves.

Panting, he reached forward and ran his hand over Itachi's length, covering it with the lotion. His body burned with liquid fire and his own length ached for release as he straddled pale hips and grasped the slippery cock. Lowering himself, he felt Itachi grab at his hips to help guide him down and they both released a deep moan as he slid down.

Itachi's body shook with the effort needed to stay still as the heat engulfed him and he kept his eyes trained on Naruto's face as he tried to relax. Seeing his lovers face contorted in pain was enough to pull his mind from its lust induced state and his hands tightened on Naruto's hip. Blue eyes fluttered open as a single tear slipped over his cheeks and Itachi brushed it off.

Naruto shook his head at the questioning look on whether he wanted to stop or not and once he let out a shaky sigh, he shifted his hips, "Move."

He grasped the tan hips tightly and slowly pulled out, groaning as the muscles gripped at him and he pushed back in. Slow and precise movements had Naruto begging him to move quicker but he kept the same lazy pace, rolling his hips occasionally to further delay the impending orgasm. Naruto had controlled the pace earlier in the night but now it was Itachi's turn.

The pace quickened slightly and Itachi could see the frustration rise in Naruto's eyes at not being able to move. A feral growl escaped those swollen lips and Itachi smirked as he snapped his hips up suddenly, making Naruto toss his head back as his prostate was struck harshly.

"Fuck!"

Shifting his grip on his hipbones, he continued to thrust harshly, hitting the same spot repeatedly and Naruto's voice steadily grew louder. Sweat covered their bodies and made their skin slick as Itachi continued the fast pace, driving them closer to completion. He watched as Naruto's mouth fell open as his ragged pants filled the room and he suddenly stilled his hips.

A loud, frustrated cry escaped Naruto's mouth at the lack of movement and he desperately tried to move his hips but Itachi held them still. He gasped for breath and called Naruto's name, making the hazy blue eyes open and once they focused on him, he sat up; drawing Naruto into a heated kiss. Naruto shifted in his lap and whined at the intimate touch.

They broke apart and Naruto put a hand on his chest, pushing down again. He kept his hand on a bronzed hip but his grip was loose, allowing Naruto to move himself and set a new pace. His fingers wrapped around the weeping length and stroked it in time to the thrusts. Naruto arched his back into the touch and a few moments later, he came with a loud yell that echoed throughout the large room.

Itachi followed shortly after him as the tight heat grew even tighter and he released into him. He felt Naruto's body shake with the after affects of the intense release and he guided Naruto's body down so it rested against his chest. His soft cock slipped from Naruto, drawing another shiver from Naruto and he pressed a kiss to the side of his temple, tasting the salty skin.

"I don't have a problem with my couch getting dirty." He murmured next to his ear and he heard Naruto groan at the words. With a chuckle, he wrapped his arms around the tan back as Naruto nuzzled his neck.

"Then we'll christen it tomorrow morning." Naruto replied sleepily. "And I'm not letting you go to work."

Itachi simply nodded, and decided that he wouldn't remind Naruto that it was the weekend. And even if it had been a weekday, he would have called in sick; they could handle things for a day without him. He rolled them to the side and tossed a leg over Naruto's drawing them closer before joining his lover in a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Flicking through the channels, Naruto shifted on the couch. Itachi was still asleep and after waking up with the urgent need to pee, he couldn't fall back asleep. The blanket fell around his bare shoulders and pooled at his waist. He wasn't dressed yet as he remembered Itachi's comment last night and the thoughts of defiling the couch only proved to further arouse him.

He yawned widely and wiped the wetness from the corner of his eyes. Footsteps sounded on the floor and Itachi looked slightly annoyed as he pushed his bangs from his face. Naruto cocked his head at Itachi and he grunted, "My warm body left."

Naruto laughed slightly and tilted his head back as Itachi leaned down for a kiss. He could taste the minty toothpaste on his tongue and he hungrily sucked at it. When they broke apart, he licked at his lips and watched Itachi sit next him, allowing him space to curl up next to him. Pale fingers ran through his hair and it was silent until Itachi spoke.

"I didn't know you were so knowledgeable until last night; it was rather interesting."

To his surprise, Naruto flushed, "Well, you forget who my godfather is and what he writes. I've, uh, had many chances to read up on the subject."

Itachi's eyebrow arched as he pulled Naruto closer, "Should we see how far your knowledge extends then?"

Naruto sealed his lips over Itachi's for an answer and let his fingertips trail down Itachi's back, making him shiver. They slowly sunk into the couch, ready to become further acquainted with each other just as the doorbell rang.

Itachi tore his mouth away from Naruto's with a snarl and stormed to the front door; intent on killing whoever was on the other side. When he flung the door open, he didn't even blink at seeing Kisame standing by the doorway with a small bag in hand. Somehow, he should have known. The man looked slightly tanner than when he had left and didn't seem to notice the twitch that had quickly developed in Itachi's eyes.

"I thought you were coming back tonight." He growled.

"A storm was coming in so I asked for an earlier flight. I tried to call you last night but all the phones were off. Although it was kind of late at night." Kisame answered and dug through the small bag, "I also have presents for you and Naruto. Where is Blondie anyway? Oh and look! I have pictures of the sharks."

"Kisame."

The man looked up and noticed for the first time that his boss was barely dressed and an equally undressed blond was covering himself with a blanket on the couch. He tore his eyes away and gulped, "Yes?"

"Get out!"

With a yelp, the man squired away and Itachi rubbed the bridge of his nose; now he needed a vacation. The simple idea made him smile and he sauntered over to Naruto and captured his lips again. When they broke apart, he stared into the sparkling blue eyes of his lover, "How does a vacation sound, Naruto?"

"Beach?" Naruto asked curiously.

The thought of everyone staring at Naruto running around in swim trunks made him shake his head. No, he needed someplace where no one else would be able to see the delicious tan skin; somewhere snowy. Then again, Naruto did have a deadline coming up and if they happened to vanish, Konan would send Pein to sniff them out.

He was certain that woman had placed a tracker on Naruto somewhere.

Naruto nuzzled his face into Itachi's side and wrapped his arms around his waist, "As long as we're together."

Itachi ran his fingers through blond locks and hummed thoughtfully. "Always." He answered and shifted so they were lying together more comfortably, "I have no intention on letting you go. Tomorrow I'll look up places that sound nice and schedule sometime off."

Naruto leaned closer to press a kiss to his lips and they leisurely indulged themselves, enjoying the feel of the soft emotions that ran rampant through their bodies while the lazy haze of the weekend ran through them. Itachi watched as Naruto's eyes slipped shut and he drifted off into a light doze; his body still tired from their previous night.

His mind drifted back to the black book that was sitting on his bookshelf in the office. It was resting in a small book holder with a picture next to it of him and Naruto that Konan had taken. They were at a publishers gathering and despite all the prime and proper black suited people that were in the room, Naruto had refused to act like them. Instead, he was draped over Itachi's shoulder, flashing a grin with his fingers in the shape of a V.

Everyday he could look at that picture and remind himself that despite being in the world of business, sometimes the best approach was a casual one and that other times, things you once cursed could turn out to be a blessing. They were proof of that alone and Naruto's words to him in the story couldn't have been more true; going to the center had been a blessing in disguise.

While his relationship with Sasuke was nowhere near perfect, it was better than it had been before and the time away from work had allowed him to look at things in a different light. And Naruto of course, had made his life near perfect. He couldn't say it was perfect yet since Naruto wasn't fully his, but given time, he knew that one day that would change.

The hardest part would be convincing Minato.

He chuckled at that and closed his eyes as he pulled Naruto closer. These thoughts could wait until later as could the christening of the couch; and the thought of dragging Naruto to his office for some fun made his length twitch. But for now, he was content with Naruto and he allowed himself to drift into the thing that enabled him to first meet Naruto.

Sleep.


End file.
